The Pokemon World Tournament
by Cloneblazer12
Summary: Upon learning about the Pokemon World Tournament, Ash goes with Brock and Dawn to compete. Meanwhile, May meets up with a childhood friend. Multishipping. Set in Gen 6. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello. This is my first fanfic. It takes place right after Ash travelled through Unova. This is an AU fic, steering away from the anime after the quarter finals of the Sinnoh League. Tobias doesn't exist, so Ash won (like he should have). Ash travelled to Unova with Dawn and Brock. Iris doesn't exist, and Cilan is just a gym leader. This fic is set in Gen VI, so Kalos Pokémon and Mega Evolutions will appear.**

**Also, the tournament is loosly based on what was in the BW2 games. I have added my own spin to it, so stay tuned for that. There is an OC major to the plot, so be prepared for that. If you ever have any questions about this story, feel free to either leave it in a review, or PM me, and I'll do my best to clear things up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do not claim to own Pokémon. Characters either belong to Pokémon, me, or other users. If I use an OC created by another user, I will credit them at the end of the chapter. This disclaimer applies to all following chapters.**

**That aside, enjoy chapter 1.**

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer said, "this is the moment you have all been waiting for. The final showdown between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town in the Hoenn Region, and Billy Randall of Saffron City in Kanto. These two outstanding trainers have been through thick and thin to get here. The Champions Tournament has been a long one. After hundreds of trainers and countless battles, these two have gone all the way."

The two trainers stood opposite from each other. Jake, standing tall and slim, was wearing gray sneakers, baggy jeans, had a black t-shirt underneath a red zip up sweatshirt, and had brown hair covered by a white hat with a blue brim. On his shoulder sat an Eevee. He was clenching his fists covered in black fingerless gloves in anticipation. He looked to be in his late teens.

On the other side of the field was a medium height, yet well-built man in his early twenties. He wore brown shoes, blue jeans, a white tank top, and had black hair covered in a blue beanie. He had white gloves on his hands. Both looked at the ref waiting to start.

The referee took over from there. "This battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town representing the Hoenn Region, and Billy Randall representing the Kanto Region from Saffron City will shortly be underway. This is a full six on six match with both trainers being allowed to make substitutions at will, and the match will end when all six of either trainer's Pokemon are defeated, or if one trainer forfeits. This match will be held on a plain, dirt battlefield so neither side will have an advantage. There will be a fifteen minute break after three of either sides' Pokemon are knocked out, and the battle will continue after that. Are both trainers ready?" the referee asked.

Both trainers replied with a yes.

"Then please send out your first Pokemon."

"Volcarona, you're up!" shouted Billy. A large, white moth-looking creature with six orange wings appeared, ready to battle.

"Shadow engage!" Jake called. Greninja, a frog looking Pokemon appeared. It had a navy-blue body with white spots on its joints and a tongue that wrapped around its neck like a scarf. It struck a battle ready pose.

"And it's Jake's Greninja, known for its ability to change its type by using a move versus Billy's Volcarona, one of the most powerful bug types in existence. Will Volcarona's power be able to overcome Greninja's ability to play mind games with its opponent?" The announcer shouted.

"Begin!" The ref said.

"Volcarona, use Bug Buzz!" Billy commanded.

"Flash Cannon!" Jake countered.

Volcarona let of a high-pitched screeching noise that caused many people to cover their ears. Meanwhile Shadow's body gave off a metallic glint as it changed into the steel type while emitting a bright flash aimed at Volcarona. Neither Pokemon seemed phased by the attacks due to the resistances.

"Flamethrower!" Billy called.

"Counter with Hydro Pump!" Jake shouted.

Volcarona opened its mouth and spewed flames at the now steel type Greninja. However he soon turned blue and opened his mouth sending a powerful blast of water at the flamethrower. The two attacks met in the middle before the Hydro Pump quickly overpowered it and sent Volcarona flying back.

_Damn_ Billy thought to himself. _I need to get Volcarona back into this or he's out for good._ "Giga Drain now!" He said, a hint of desperation in his voice.

Large green tendrils shot out of Volcarona's body and quickly grabbed Greninja, draining its health. After each passing second, Greninja got weaker as Volcarona looked stronger.

"Break away using Nightslash followed by Surf!" Jake commanded.

Greninja turned black before a dark aura emanated from his tongue. He then slammed it into the tendrils, breaking free. Before Volcarona could react, the now-blue Greninja swamped the entire field with water washing it in front of its trainer's feet, unconscious.

"Volcarona is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner!" The ref announced. Roars emanated from the crowd in response.

Billy recalled Volcarona into its Poke Ball. "Thanks Volcarona, despite the type advantage and trickery, you were able to take a lot out of it. I couldn't have asked for more." He thought for a second before grabbing a Poke Ball from his belt. "Salamence, I choose you!" He called.

A large dragon with a turquoise body and large red wings appeared. At its sight, Shadow cowered in fear for a few moments.

"Would you look at that folks! Salamence's intimidate seems to have taken effect. Greninja's attack power has been reduced because of it" the announcer boomed.

"Salamence versus Greninja. Begin!" the ref said.

_Shadow doesn't have much energy left, but I should at least be able to land a few hits before he goes down_ Jake thought to himself. "Shadow use Flash cannon!" He ordered.

"Counter with Dragonbreath!" Billy yelled.

Greninja shot out a beam of light right after taking on steel properties. It met in the middle of the field with the Dragonbreath, causing a small explosion.

"Shadow use Ice Beam!"

"Flamethrower!"

Greninja's body turned icy cold as it shot a beam of ice at Salamence. Meanwhile Salamence launched a flamethrower at the ice beam, easily powering through it.

"Water Shuriken!" Jake called in an attempt to lessen the damage. But it was too late and the flamethrower crashed into Greninja, knocking it out.

"Greninja is unable to battle, Salamence wins!" The ref yelled.

Jake recalled Shadow. "Thanks a lot bud, you were outstanding out there" he said. "Let's fight fire with fire!" he said to Billy. "Maverick engage!"

A Garchomp emerged from the Poke Ball. It was dark blue with a long tail and a fin on its back, as well as scythe-like appendages on its arms. It's head resembled a hammerhead shark.

"Would you look at that! It's a battle of the dragons! Both of these pseudo-legendaries are extremely powerful, and we're in for a treat now folks!" The announcer said.

"Salamence versus Garchomp. Begin!"

"Salamence, use Dragonbreath!"

"Block with iron tail. Then get in the air!"

Salamence sent a green energy from its maw aimed straight at Garchomp. However, he easily deflected the attack with an iron tail, then began to climb into the air.

"Get behind Salamence, then use crunch!" Jake ordered.

"Slap it away with an iron tail!" Billy yelled.

As Garchomp moved in behind Salamence, Salamence swung an iron hard tail at it. Garchomp swiftly dodged it, then crunched down on the back of Salamence's neck. Salamence screamed in pain.

"Now ice fang!"

Garchomp's teeth became ice cold and seeped into Salamence's neck. Another roar of pain was heard.

"Shit" Billy said to himself. _Salamence needs to get out of there now. Desperate times call for desperate measures._ "Salamence use Outrage!" He called in desperation.

Salamence's eyed started to glow a deep red. It began to thrash violently attempting to free itself from Garchomp.

"Release and use substitute!" Jake said calmly.

Garchomp released Salamence from its mouth and quickly vanished, leaving a copy of itself in its place. Salamence immediately took the bait, attacking it with everything it had, rage in its eyes. Salamence continued to attack the substitute, finally breaking it. When it disappeared, Salamence started to hit itself, the confusion effect of outrage kicking in. It never saw Garchomp's Dragon Rush, knocking it out cold.

"Salamence is unable to battle, Garchomp is the winner!" The ref announced.

"We'll folks, it was a risky move to use outrage to break free, and in the end it ended up backfiring, allowing Garchomp to score a KO relatively healthy. Can Billy overcome this setback?" The announcer yelled.

"Salamence return" Billy muttered, recalling Salamence back into its Poke Ball. "I'm sorry, I made a huge mistake and you had to suffer for it. I hope you can forgive me." He took out a third Poke Ball. "I wasn't planning on using you just yet, but I don't really have a choice. Aggron I need you!"

The large steel and rock type Pokemon appeared. Its body was covered in steel armor and had three horns protruding from the front of its head.

"Aggron versus Garchomp, begin!"

"Aggron use metal claw!"

"Earthquake!"

Aggron started running towards Garchomp holding out claws that extended metallically. Meanwhile, Garchomp stomped a foot into the ground, causing the ground to shake. However, Aggron surprisingly pushed through and landed a clean hit knocking Garchomp back.

"And it looks like Sturdy has saved Billy's Aggron!" The announcer said. "However, that hit was extremely effective, and I don't know how much more Aggron can take."

"Earthquake one more time!" Jake shouted.

"Aggron jump, then use Heavy Slam!" Billy commanded.

Garchomp slammed its foot into the ground, causing another tremor. However, Aggron surprisingly jumped away in time and crashed into Garchomp, causing massive damage.

"Knock it back with flamethrower!"

"Iron Defense!"

The Mach Pokemon spewed flames from its mouth aimed at Aggron. However, the flames barely did anything as the Iron Armor Pokemon's body glowed silver.

"Now dragon claw Aggron!"

"Block with Iron Tail, then use Brick Break!"

Aggron charged forward, claws extended aiming at Garchomp. It swung at him, but was blocked by the iron tail and swiftly met a brick break to the face, causing it to stagger.

Finish with Earthquake!" Jake said.

Garchomp stamped a foot on the ground, causing a massive tremor. Aggron, still dizzy from the brick break, succumbed to the earthquake and fainted.

"Aggron is unable to battle, Garchomp is the winner!" The ref announced.

"Garchomp has done it again! thats two KOs for it now, and it's still looking strong! And with that, we will now go into a fifteen minute break."

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**Well, there's chapter 1, hope you like it. If you're confused as to what's going on, all will be explained next chapter. Please R&R, but no flaming. Criticism appreciated. Like I said before, this is my first Fanfic, so I'm new to this.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Just to be clear, Author's notes are in bold, and thoughts are in italic. Dialogue is in quotations as usual. Here's Chapter 2. I don't have much to say, other than the fact that the battle will be concluded here. Enjoy**

* * *

The break is now over, with both trainers please select their Pokémon?" The ref asked.  
"Aegislash, I choose you!" Billy said. The dual ghost steel golden sword-like Pokémon appeared behind a shield.

"Riptide, engage!" Jake said, sending out a Swampert. It was blue, with two fins on its head, a large, fin-like tail, and had orange pads on its elbows and knees.

"Swampert versus Aegislash, begin!"  
"Use earthquake!"

"King's Shield!"

Swampert slammed its arms into the ground, causing a huge tremor. Aegislash emitted a blue energy in front of it, protecting it from damage.

"Sacred Sword!" Billy commanded.

"Hydro Pump!" Jake yelled.

Aegislash suddenly changed forms, so that its shield was held in its hand and its blade was exposed. It relished towards Swampert, but it was hit by a powerful blast of water, dealing major damage because of its reduced defenses.

"Follow with mud shot!"

Swampert then shot a few balls of mud at the dazed Aegislash, hitting it again with the super effective hit.

_I need to end this quick or Aegislash is out for good_ Billy thought to himself. "Use Shadow Sneak!" He said.

"Earthquake!" Jake countered.

Aegislash disappeared into the shadows and snuck up behind the Mud Fish Pokémon, dealing damage. Once he recovered, he once again slammed his arms into the ground, causing the ground to shake. Aegislash was hit reappearing from the shadows, unable to get back up.  
"Aegislash is unable to battle, Swampert wins!"

"Another victory for Jake, leaving only two Pokémon left for Billy, compared to Jake's five. Will he be able to recover in time? Or will Jake's lead bring him the victory?" Said the announcer.

_Damnit! I only have two left. Tyranitar is at a disadvantage, but I need to save Blastoise for last_ Billy thought to himself. "Alright, Tyranitar go!" He sent out a huge green, lizard like Pokémon standing almost seven feet tall.

"Tyranitar versus Swampert, begin!"

A huge amount of sand started to kick up, starting a sandstorm.

"Would you look at that folks, Tyranitar's sand stream really makes it hard to see!" The announcer said.

"Riptide, return!" Jake shouted. "Maverick, engage!" Jake sent his Garchomp back out, and it immediately vanished in the sand.

"And Garchomp's Sand Veil is taking effect! This is going to make it really hard for Tyranitar to see him!" The announcer shouted.

"Garchomp versus Tyranitar, begin!"

_Shit _Billy thought to himself, _now Tyranitar can't even see his opponent_. Tyranitar, use Earthquake!" He commanded.

"Maverick, into the air!"

Tyranitar stamped a foot into the ground, causing a massive tremor. However, it didn't seem like it did anything to the invisible Garchomp.

"Earth power!" Jake commanded.

All of a sudden, the ground beneath Tyranitar split apart and a yellow energy sprang up, dealing massive damage.

"I've always wondered why I taught him this move" Billy said to himself. "Use Sunny Day!"

All of a sudden, the sand stopped, and the sunlight got intensely brighter. Garchomp reappeared, showing it to be hovering in the air, a confused look on its face.  
"Now ice beam!" Billy commanded, sensing an opening.

"Counter with flamethrower, followed by Earthquake!"

Tyranitar sent out a cold beam of ice, aimed directly at Garchomp. However, it was swiftly overpowered by the amped-up flamethrower. Garchomp then stamped his foot into the ground, causing a massive tremor. Tyranitar seemed like it was about to give in.  
_This is my only chance_ thought Billy. "Tyranitar Hyper beam!"

"Substitute!"

Tyranitar spewed a massive beam of orange energy at Garchomp, however he just simply faded away, revealing the real Garchomp to be in the air.

"Finish with Earth Power!"

Garchomp slammed his foot into the ground, causing it to split apart and radiate a yellow energy under Tyranitar, swiftly knocking it out.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle, Garchomp is the winner!"

And would you look at that! Jake has five Pokémon left as opposed to Billy's one! It certainly doesn't look like he'll recover from this one folks." The announcer boomed.  
"Tyranitar return. Go Blastoise!" Billy shouted.

"Blastoise versus Garchomp, begin!"

"You ready?" Billy asked. Blastoise nodded in return. He touched a button on the watch-like object on his wrist. "Alright mega evolve, go!" He yelled.

Blastoise started to glow, and then had a spherical aura cover his body. He broke out, revealing to have a huge cannon on his back, as well as two smaller cannons on his arms.

"Use rain dance!" Billy commanded.

The sunlight was quickly replaced by dark rain clouds, and rain began to fall.

"Now Ice Beam!"

"Counter with flamethrower, then go into Dragon Rush!" Jake said calmly.

Garchomp sent out a massive flamethrower to counter the ice beam shot at him. However, the rain dance was still in effect, causing the flamethrower to be at only half its normal power. The ice beam was significantly stronger, causing it to overpower the flamethrower.

"Hydro Pump!"

Blastoise the shot out a huge blast of water out of the cannon on its back at Garchomp, who was speeding towards it like a bullet shrouded in a blue aura. Garchomp never made it. The hydro pump hit its mark, causing Garchomp to spin out of control like a disabled jet plane, crashing into the ground. He didn't get back up.

"Garchomp is unable to battle, Blastoise is the winner!"

"Maverick return," Jake said. "Thanks for everything, you were awesome." He pulled out another poke ball from his belt. "Riptide, engage!" The Mud Fish Pokémon reappeared, staring down his opponent.

"We'll folks, he's still a long way off, but with the increased power from mega evolving, Blastoise looks strong as ever! Can Billy turn this around and pull off an amazing comeback?" The announcer asked, excitement in his voice.

Swampert versus Blastoise, begin!"

"Blastoise water pulse!" Billy yelled.

"Block it with surf!" Jake countered.

Using the two smaller cannons on its arms, Blastoise senator out an orb of water, stronger than usual because of its Mega Launcher ability. Swampert, on the other hand, countered it by summoning a massive wave of water. Instead of sending it crashing toward his opponent, he held it in place, blocking the water pulse.

"Earthquake!" Jake yelled.

Swampert sent his arms crashing down into the ground, shaking the entire battlefield. Blastoise took damage, but seemed relatively undated by the attack.

"Blastoise use Aura Sphere!" Billy yelled.

"Counter with Superpower!" Jake ordered, a hint of desperation in his voice.

The cannon on Blastoise's back glowed, before sending a blue sphere of pure aura at Swampert, once again powered up from Mega Launcher. Rather than dodging the unavoidable attack like he normally would, Swampert followed his trainer's orders and hit the Aura Sphere with a glowing fist, causing a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, Swampert was still standing, albeit breathing heavily.

_There's no way Riptide can defeat that Blastoise_ Jake thought to himself. _But I know that all I need to do is weaken him enough so Blazer can get in there and clean up. It'll take the combined assaults of everyone to do so._ He thought for a second longer. "Riptide mud shot, followed by your Hammer arm-Superpower combo!" Jake commanded.

Swampert obliged, shooting out mud from his mouth aimed at Blastoise's eyes, just like he had done before. He then ran up to the blinded Blastoise, slamming down his glowing arms, quickly following up with two powerful punches sending Blastoise staggering back. However, Blastoise quickly recovered, spraying a small stream of water to clear his eyes.  
"Hydro Pump!" Billy said.

Blastoise sent out a massive stream of water, instantly knocking Swampert out.

"Swampert is unable to battle, Blastoise is the winner!"

"And it's another victory for Billy's Blastoise!" The announcer said excitedly. "He still has three Pokémon to go, can they win this in a turn of events?"

"Riptide, return!" Jake said, recalling his fallen Swampert. "You did everything I needed you to." He said. "Brain, engage!" He sent out a massive, four-legged Pokémon, blue in color. It had a large, gray X across its face with two deep, menacing red eyes. "METAH!" The Metagross said.  
"Metagross versus Blastoise, begin!"

"Start out with a Water Pulse!" Billy commanded.

"Calm Mind, then Iron Defense!" Jake countered.

Blastoise sent out a powered up orb of water, aimed at the Metagross that was clearing its mind of all thoughts. Just as the orb was about to strike it, Metagross's Body gleamed a shining silver, protecting it from major damage.

"Bullet Punch, followed by Thunder Punch!"

Metagross tucked its legs in and shot across towards Blastoise, striking him in the stomach. As it made contact, its fist cackled with electricity, paralyzing Blastoise. He roared in pain.

"If you can move, use aura sphere!" Billy called, a worried look on his face.

Blastoise, with much effort, shot a powered up blue sphere brimming with aura or of its cannon. The shot went wide, but it swung around and struck Metagross in the back. However, it didn't seem to be hurt.

"Psychic, followed by earthquake!"

Metagross held Blastoise in place using its psychic energy, and then slammed its feet into the ground causing a tremor. Normally this would completely exhaust any Pokémon, but Metagross had four brains which allowed it to pull off the impressive feat.

"Paralyzed and being struck by a powerful attack did not sit well with Blastoise. With a tremendous amount of effort, he seemed to snap out of the paralysis, a look of extreme anger on his face.

"Hydro Pump!"

"Iron Defense!"

Blastoise launched a huge blast of water striking the now silver Metagross.  
"Bullet Punch into Thunder Punch!"

"Skull Bash!"

Metagross shot forward towards Blastoise, who reared his head back. As Metagross's electrifying fist was about to make contact with Blastoise, he shot forward and rammed his head into the steel Titan, causing massive damage. Metagross still made contact, but it lost a lot of momentum from the hit. It broke away, panting heavily.

"Water Pulse!"

"Calm Mind!" Jake said, hoping to prevent the confusion effect.

As the powerful orb of water shot towards Metagross, it started to clear its mind of thoughts. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Metagross had a dazed look in its eyes, and just stood there. No one knew what was going on inside its head but Jake. He had a defeated look on his face as the Steel Titan collapsed.

"Uh, Metagross is unable to battle...?" The ref said with uncertainty.

"Basically what happened was Brain got confused," Jake started. "Inside its mind, it shut down its body to prevent damage to itself, kind of like an anti-virus program will on a computer. It'll be fine, but it's done battling for today," he finished.

"In that case, Blastoise is the winner!" The ref shouted, glad to know what happened.

"Brain return. Thanks, I might not even need Blazer now thanks to you." Jake said. "Shockwave, engage!" A quadruped sphinx-like Pokémon appeared. It was mostly black, save for a blue face, and spiky fur behind its large ears. It had menacing red eyes.

"Luxray versus Blastoise, begin!"

_Shit!_ Billy thought to himself. _I'm not gonna be able to beat him. Blastoise has taken too much damage from that battle. With Metagross. Still I wonder if the Blazer he was talking about is the same one that I've heard about._

"Let's finish this with Discharge!" Jake said.

That was all it took. Luxray sent out a powerful wave of electric energy, causing Blastoise to finally collapse out of pure exhaustion.

"Blastoise is unable to battle, Luxray is the winner and the match goes to Jake Smith of Littleroot Town!" The ref stated.

"Great job," Billy said as he recalled his Blastoise. "You were exceptional out there. I couldn't have asked for more." He turned to Jake. "Great match Jake!" He said holding out his hand. "You definitely deserve this victory."

Jake shook his hand. "It was. I hope I can battle you again some point. That Blastoise of yours really gave me a run for my money."

"Eevee!" Billy said.

"What?"

"Eevee! Eev eevee!"

"Huh?"

Suddenly the stadium disappeared, as well as Billy, whose hand he was still shaking. Then, ...

* * *

**Cliffhanger! Although you can probably guess what happens after this. Next chapter will have more stuff leading up to the tournament, as well as the formal introduction of the main characters. I am now accepting submissions for OCs for the tournament. Rules: 1: Needs both first and last name. 2: no more than one pseudo legendary per team. 3: please try to be original, many OCs that are made in other fics usually have 2-3 of the same Pokémon, which can be a little boring. Regarding Mega evos, unless I decide that your OC has made it far enough, they won't be used. Tournament rules, but you'll see. Anyways, R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So here's chapter 3. Enjoy**

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"AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" Jake screamed, jolting awake. He looked over and saw his Eevee, laughing mischievously while holding an empty Poke Ball. He turned his head and saw Shockwave, his Luxray, had given him a Thunderbolt to wake up, also smirking. He looked at the clock.

"Oh shit I'm gonna be late!"

He bolted out of bed, recalled Shockwave, and started to get dressed. 30 seconds later he was ready.

"Eevee let's go!"

Eevee hopped onto his backpack, which Jake put on and ran out the door, ferry ticket in hand.

"I've gotta get to Slateport for the Pokemon World Tournament!" He yelled while running. "Bye mom! Bye dad! I'll tell you when I've qualified!" He said, letting his ego show a little bit.

"Bye honey, be good!" She replied as he ran out the door.

"Bye son!" His dad called after him, but Jake had already left.

*15 minutes later*

"Where is it?" Jake asked. He looked around before finally spotting his ferry, running towards it.

"Alright! Time to kick some ass!"

Eevee rolled his eyes, used to his best friend's ego.

As they got to the ship, Jake handed over his ticket and climbed aboard.

Although it was only a few hours' travel, he was still assigned a cabin. Once inside, Eevee hopped off Jake's shoulder, while he started to "officially" get ready for the day. He still smelled of ash from Shockwave's electrical wake up call.

He showered and got redressed. Once he was ready, he decided to tour the ship, Eevee on his shoulder. He started to walk around, with no particular destination. After walking around for a while, he turned a corner and saw a battle going on. Having nothing better to do, he decided to join the crowd and watch.  
On the makeshift battlefield, there was a tall, buff man in his mid-twenties. He wore a pair of black sneakers, black sweatpants, and a blue tank top. In front of him was a powerful looking Poliwrath. It was a blue, tadpole looking Pokemon with menacing eyes with a white belly covered by a black spiral going clockwise.

On the other side of the field was a boy in his mid teens. He was of average height, with a slim build. He wore sandals, gray shorts, and a red t-shirt. He was commanding a Bouffalant. The pokemon looked like a bull, with four muscular legs, yellow eyes, and had two horns protruding out of an afro.

"Bouffalant, Head Charge!"

"Grab his horns, then go into submission!"

Bouffalant's afro glowed with a red energy, with an orange circle at the front. It charged at the Poliwrath. Poliwrath, however, was able to catch the charging afro-bull by the horns. He then jumped, Bouffalant still in tow, and then rolled around causing damage to both Pokemon. Bouffalant came off worse, panting heavily from the super effective attack.

"Finish with DynamicPunch!"

Poliwrath ran towards the Bouffalant with a glowing fist. It struck Bouffalant square in the face, scoring a clean KO.

"Bouffalant is unable to battle!" one of the spectators, acting like a referee, said. "Poliwrath is the winner and the victory goes to Jim!"

"Hah. That's three victories in a row!" Jim exclaimed. "Is there anyone who can beat me?"

"I'm up for it," Jake replied.

Everyone turned around to the newcomer.

"Think you can beat me pipsqueak?" asked Jim.

"Based on the fact that you're an overconfident bastard, I KNOW I can beat you," Jake replied. "How does a one on one sound?"

"Fine by me," Jim replied, angry at Jake's comment. "Got a name?"

"Jake. Jake Smith."

The person who was the ref for the previous match volunteered to referee again. Both parties agreed.

"This will be a one on one unofficial match between the challenger, Jake Smith, and the challenged, Jim Brady. Each trainer will use one Pokemon. The match will be over when either side's Pokemon is unable to continue, or by forfeit. Are both trainers ready?" he asked.

He got two nods in agreement. "Then please send out your Pokemon."

"Conkeldurr, let's roll!" Jim shouted. A large, bulky fighting type appeared. His light brown body had two, short legs, and his upper body was supported by two massive concrete pillars. His face had a red nose that looked like a ball.

"Talon, engage!" Jake sent out a Braviary. He had a massive wingspan, and his body was mostly covered by blue feathers. His back and top of his wings were red, and he had white feathers surrounding his head like a crown.

"Braviary versus Conkeldurr, begin!"

"Take it out with a stone edge!" Jim commanded.

"Into the air and use Air Slash!" Jake countered.

Conkeldurr summoned three rings of stones around his body, before swiftly sending them at Braviary, however, he was too quick and was able to easily dodge and sent several slashes of air at his opponent.  
"Block them!" Jim shouted.

Conkeldurr lifted his concrete pillars into the air, and held them in front of the attack, significantly reducing the damage taken.

_Damn,_ Jake thought to himself. _I need to get those pillars away from Conkeldurr. I've got it!_

"Bulk up, followed by Aerial Ace!"

"Stone Edge!"

Braviary took a deep breath, enlarging his muscles before diving down at his opponent. Conkeldurr sent dozens of sharp stones at Braviary. They hit, but he powered through and slammed into Conkeldurr.

"Now gust!"

Braviary quickly started flapping his wings at the dazed fighting type, causing him to lose his balance. One of the concrete pillars flew out of his hands, landing several feet away.

_One down one to go!_ "Use air slash, aim for the hands!"

"Ice Punch!"

Braviary sent a slash of air at the hand holding the pillar. However, Conkeldurr's one free hand glowed white and slammed into it, destroying the attack.

"Now Rock Slide!"

"Fly away!"

Conkeldurr slammed his one remaining concrete pillar into the ground, summoning a wave of rocks at Braviary, but he was well out of range.

"Razor wind, followed by Crush Claw!"

Braviary flapped his wings, causing a huge amount of wind to kick up. He then flew towards the distracted Conkeldurr, talons glowing. He struck out, causing Conkeldurr to drop his remaining concrete pillar. He looked like he was struggling to stand without the support.

"Finish with Brave Bird!"

Braviary climbed into the air, then quickly dove towards the ground, a blue aura surrounding his body. He then sped towards the defenseless Conkeldurr, crashing into it. Conkeldurr didn't get back up.  
"Conkeldurr is unable to battle, Braviary is the winner! The victory goes to Jake!" The ref announced.

"Great job Talon. Be a sport and get his pillars please," Jake said.

Braviary obliged, retrieving the two concrete pillars and placing them next to the fallen Conkeldurr, who was beginning to wake up.

Jim, on the other hand, looked like he was going to blow a gaskit. "I can't believe I lost to some scrawny little Bastard!" He fumed. "Conkeldurr return." He recalled his fighting type and stormed off. "This isn't the last you'll see of me," he muttered.

Suddenly the loudspeakers cackled on. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking, we are arriving at Slateport Harbor and will be docking in ten minutes. Please gather your belongings and prepare to exit the ship in an orderly fashion. Thank you for sailing with us."

Jake went over to the sidelines, where Eevee was waiting for him. "You ready to go bud?" he asked.  
"Eevee!" came the reply.

"Alright hop on!" Jake smiled, lowering his shoulder.

Eevee complied, taking up the comfortable spot on his friend's shoulder.

"Once we dock, we'll head over to registration, then go walk around. Sound good?"

Eevee nodded.

The ship had arrived at the port, and the two started to debarked from the ship, heading towards the Pokemon Center.

* * *

**So another battle. I feel like they make great filler, plus I enjoy writing them. Next chapter will introduce more main characters, as well as explain Jake's personality a bit more. Anyways, Please Review! I can't change anything if no one tells me what I can improve on. Regarding OC submissions, when you submit them, I don't limit Pokémon to four moves, so don't worry about that. Just list some moves that they will have. Also Im mostly interested in how the trainers battle more than anything else. Anyways, please R&R!**


	4. Chapter 4

**After this update, I'm not sure when Ill be able to update again, so please bear with me. This chapter introduces some new characters. Let me know what you think of the dialogue, as that's gonna be my main concern during this story. Anyways, Chapter 4 everyone!**

* * *

The two headed towards the Pokémon Center. Once they got there, Jake walked over to Nurse Joy.  
"I'd like to register for the tournament please," he stated.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Just fill out this paper work, and you're good to go." She looked up at him. "You-you're Jake Smith right?" she asked.

"Yep"

"Congrats on winning the Hoenn League! I'm sure you'll do well in the qualifiers."

"Thanks Nurse Joy. Can you also look after my Pokémon for me?" He asked.

"I'd be happy to."

"Thanks. I'll be back in a bit, I'm just gonna walk around for a bit." He handed her five Poke Balls, keeping one with him.

**(A/N Eevee doesn't have a Poke Ball, as he's not officially captured. More will be explained later).**

"See ya later!" He smiled.

He walked out and started to stroll around. As he was walking, he heard two people arguing up ahead.

"Leave me alone Drew," a girl shouted.

"Why? Don't tell me you're not still interested" came the reply.

"That was four years ago, and you blew it. LEAVE ME ALONE!" She shouted.

"Whatever," the green-haired teen turned around and walked away, flicking his hair.

"Uh, sis, people are starting to stare," said a boy, noticing the people turning their heads at the fiasco.

"Ugh! I hate him! He just doesn't seem to get it!" she exclaimed.

Jake walked up to the group, seeing a green haired boy walk away. He then looked at the girl. _No way! _He thought to himself. _That voice! that figure! but the dead giveaway has to be the bandana. She always wore that bandana, not to mention she looked good with it on!. _Taking a deep breath, he spoke up.

"Get what?"

Both the girl and the younger boy turned around at the newcomer.

"No freakin way!" The girl exclaimed, surprised at the sight.

"Miss me May?" Jake smiled.

"It's been way too long! How have you been?" She replied.

"I've been doing well. I'm not a fan of talking out in the open, wanna head to the Pokémon center to talk?"

"Who is this guy May? And why does he look familiar?" The boy stared at Jake for a moment. "Wait you're Jake Smith right?" he asked.

"The one and only."

"Max, I wouldn't really expect you to remember him, but he used to come over to our house all the time when we were little. We were practically best friends. You were six when he left to become a Pokémon Trainer," said May.

"Speaking of Pokémon, I've heard you're a coordinator now?" Jake asked. The trio started walking back to the Pokémon Center. "So that means you've gotten over your fear of Pokémon, right?"

"Yep!"

"Who'd you pick as your starter?"

May smiled. "I'll just show you. Blaziken, take the stage!" she exclaimed.

A tall Pokémon with powerful red and yellow legs, with cream colored feathers jutting out from its head appeared. The feathers also wrapped around its upper torso, giving off the impression of a vest. It had a red beak.

"Blaze." It said.

"Meet Blaziken!"

"Hey Eevee," Jake said, turning towards the Evolution Pokémon on his shoulder. "Should we introduce our friend?"

"Eevee!" He exclaimed, nodding his head.

"Alright then," he said, pulling out the one Poke Ball he had with him. "Blazer, engage!"

Out came a Blaziken, with a series of sparkles, but this one was different. His body was a darker shade of red, and the hair-like feathers were white instead of cream.

"Wow, a shiny Pokémon?" Max asked.

"Yep. Professor Birch said that he'd never seen anything like him before, and he wanted to make sure that I wanted him, but my decision was final, and he's been my strongest battler ever since. My other Pokémon are with Nurse Joy right now, since they need to be in tip-top shape for the qualifiers tomorrow. You're entering too, right Max?"

"Yeah! I'd never pass up a chance to be world famous!"

They had arrived at the Pokémon Center and walked in.

"Hey Nurse Joy!" Jake said.

"Hey Jake! You're Pokémon are all ready to go for tomorrow."

"Thanks." Jake collected his Poke Balls and put them on his belt. He recalled his Blaziken in the process. He turned towards May and Max. "I haven't had lunch yet, wanna come with me? We could catch up some more."

"I'd love to! Whaddaya say Max, you in?"

"Sure, seeing as though I don't really have a choice. I know a great place to eat up ahead." He stepped forward and walked out.

Jake turned towards May. "Who was that guy back there? He seemed to be giving you a hard time back there." He asked.

"Just some guy I dated a few years ago. One of the worst mistakes I've made, and now he won't leave me alone, especially when we compete against each other."

"So he's a coordinator too?"

"Yep."

They arrived at a diner and walked inside.

"Hello, and welcome to the Giant Wailord!" a waitress said. "Is it just you three today?"

"Yeah, just us."

"Alright then, follow me." She led them to a table, and handed them menus. "I'll be back in a few minutes to take your orders. What would you like to drink?"

"I'll have a Pecha berry Soda please," said Jake.

"Same as him," said May.

"I'll take some Oran Juice please," said Max.

"Certainly," she said. "I'll be back in a few minutes with your drinks." She turned and walked away.

"So how have you been doing in your gym quest Max? Jake asked.

"I've gotten all eight from Hoenn, but lost in the semi quarter finale at the Hoenn League. Some guy with a Salamence was able to take out half my team, and I wasn't able to recover."

Jake chuckled. "I remember that guy; Maverick was able to take him out after I lost Shadow to him."

"Wait, you were in the Hoenn league!?" Maxed asked, a surprised look on his face.

"I WON the Hoenn league. I faced the guy who beat you in the finals. His Aggron didn't go down easy, that's for sure."

"So it WAS you who won," May said. "I wasn't sure, but I saw it in the newspaper."

"Yep. I came back after coming in the top four in the Kalos League." He replied. He laughed again. "There is some tough competition out there, but I definitely enjoyed every moment of it."

"So have you been to all of the regions yet?" May asked.

"Yep. Hoenn, Johto, Kanto, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos, in that order. Now I'm back here for the qualifiers of the World Tournament."

"I've always wanted to compete in the Sinnoh contest circuit!" May said, a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I saw some of those, they definitely like to dress up for those. While we're on the topic of contests, how have they been going?"

"Are you ready to order?"

"I am. Order what you want, it's on me guys." Jake said. "I'll have the roasted Farfetch'd sandwich."

"I'll have a large bowl of ramen please," May said.

"I'll have the Ducklett legs please, with a side of fries," Max stated.

"Certainly, it won't take very long," the waitress said before walking away.

"Back on topic, how have your contests been going?"

Well, in my first circuit, back here in Hoenn, I got into the top eight, I then got to the top four in the Kanto grand festival. After that, I split up with Ash and Brock and decided to compete in Johto. I placed second there. I finally got my first win after coming back to Hoenn. I've been off the circuit for a while, but I plan on going to Sinnoh after the tournament."

"Sounds like you've had some accomplishments!"

"Yeah, I guess," May replied, slightly blushing.

"Don't be so modest. The top eight in your first run? That's pretty good. Plus you've won a Grand Festival. Not many coordinators can say that!" Jake replied, smiling.

"But some will brag about it," May muttered.

"Don't worry about that guy, he's old news. Focus on the present, and don't dwell in the past."

"Okay!" She exclaimed. She looked over and saw that the food had arrived. "Yay food's here!"

They looked over, and sure enough, there food had arrived amidst their conversation. They started eating.

"This is really good!" Max exclaimed.

Jake thought for a second. "May, you mentioned an Ash right?"

She looked up at him, taking a second to swallow the ramen in her mouth. "Yeah. Ash Ketchum. Why?" She asked.

"I've always wanted to meet him. I remember hearing about his achievements right before I left for my journey. I'd definitely like to battle him someday." He replied.

"Knowing Ash, you'll probably meet him at the tournament. I'm sure he'll qualify, and I'll introduce you to him."

"Sounds good." Jake said.

They soon finished eating. "Are you sure you want to foot the bill?" Max asked.

"Yeah, I don't have a problem with it. It's nice to catch up with old friends.

"Are you sure? I'd be more than happy to split the bill." May said.

"This ones on me." He paid and they walked out.

"Don't worry though, since you offered, you can buy us ice cream! Jake winked.

"You sly little..."

"Who's this? You're new boyfriend?" A voice from behind them said.

May turned around, her cheeks turning a little red. They went from red from embarrassment to red in anger.

"What the hell do you want Drew?" She fumed.

"I wanna know who this guy is. Making you pay for ice cream for some guy you've just met."

"Here we go..." Max muttered under his breath.

Jake stepped in.

"For your information, I've met her before. I don't know what your problem is, but I don't like your attitude you little shit. She's asked you to leave her alone, and I suggest you do so."

"Drop the tough guy act, you don't know what you're getting yourself into." Drew sneered.

"I guess I'll have to show you the hard way then. Three on three. No time limit. I win, you leave May alone, and do not come near her again. You win, and I'll leave and let her settle this herself."

"You got yourself a battle then," Drew replied.

"Hey, don't I get a say in this!?" May yelled.

Jake leaned over and whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, I know who he is, and there's no way he'll beat me." He stepped back, speaking louder this time. "Besides, you'll love the look on his face when he gets crushed. Mind holing Eevee for me?"

"Sure," she sighed. "Max, be the referee please."

Max looked annoyed. "Why am I always dragged into this?" he muttered under his breath. "Okay sis, only so he'll get off your back."

* * *

**Edits: I added a little bit in, right before Jake meets up with May, so it would flow better.**

**Well there's chapter four. The introduction of May, and Max, with some Drew bashing included. Sorry Contestshippers, but I'm an Advanceshipper, so I can't pass the opportunity to bash Drew. I had him in here for two reasons. 1 its Slateport, his home town. And 2, I needed the best way to introduce May. I found this to be the easiest way. Moving on. Next chapter will introduce Ash, and follow his posse for a while. Sorry, but this battle will be on hold for a while. End of spoilers. Please let me know what you felt about the dialogue, I felt it was a little weak, but my opinion is vastly biased. Hope you enjoyed it, and I still need OC submissions! Please R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So this chapter introduces Ash. Just to be clear, this story will have a skewed timeline for a while, until later in the story. Some of you may be disappointed by the end of the chapter, but more about that later. **

**To Saiyan-Styles: Thanks for the support! Glad you like what I've been writing. Even one person taking the time to review means a lot.**

**Without further ado, here's chapter 5!**

* * *

"Ash, wake up!"

"Mmhmmmhmhmph"

"Pikachu, wake him up!" Said the feminine voice, smiling mischievously.

"Pika!" Pikachu walked up to Ash. "PIKACHU!" Pikachu let off a bolt of electricity, instantly jolting the poor teen awake.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Ash yelled, surprised at his electrical wake up call.

"You're gonna be late for the ferry, Ash," a bluenette said.

Ash looked at the clock. "Oh shit. Dawn, can you get my bag? I'll be in the bathroom changing and getting ready. I'll be out in five."

Dawn sighed. "I guess so, just hurry up. I don't want you to be late."

"Okay, mom," Ash replied. Dawn blushed at the comment.

Ash headed towards the bathroom. "I'll be waiting for you when you get out!" Dawn exclaimed. "Brock and your mom just finished cooking breakfast."

Ash opened the door slightly, peeking out, shirtless. "Why didn't you say so?" He closed the door again.

Dawn's face turned red at seeing her crush shirtless, glad he couldn't see it.

Not even thirty seconds later, Ash reappeared, carrying his singed clothes and wearing a fresh change of clothes.

"Time to eat!" He exclaimed.

"Pika!"

"Piplup!"

They walked down to the kitchen, and immediately perked up to the smell of pancakes.

"These smell great mom, Brock!" Ash exclaimed.

"Just try and leave some for us, please" Brock chuckled.

"Like that's gonna happen," Dawn commented.

"These taste as good as they smell, too!" Ash muffled mouth full of pancakes.

"Ash, what did I tell you about talking with your mouth full?" Delia scolded.

"Sorry."

After eating, Ash, Dawn, Brock, Pikachu, and Piplup all headed out the door to make their way to the ferry, which would take them to Vermilion City.

Once they got there, they heard a familiar voice behind them.

"So you're headed to the Tournament too, Ashy-Boy?"

Ash turned around. "Gary!? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to the tournament. After traveling through the new Kalos Region, I decided to try my hand at a tournament again." Gary replied.

"If we battle, I'll have you know that you're going down!" Ash said.

"Here we go..." Dawn sighed.

"And as much as I'd like to battle you right now, I need my Pokémon to rest for tomorrow." Ash continued.

"What's this? Ash using his head? Who are you and what have you done with Ash?" Gary mocked.

"Cut it with the smart-ass comments. Let's just get on the boat."

The group arrived at the ship and climbed aboard.

"The trip is gonna be a few hours, so what do y'all wanna do for the time being?" Brock asked.

"I don't know, maybe we could walk around and tour the ship?" Dawn suggested.

"Seeing as we have nothing better to do, why not?" Ash replied.

The group started to walk around the ship. As they were walking, they heard sounds of a battle going on. Ash instinctively followed the sound. He arrived at a battle taking place.

On one side of the field was a tall girl with an hourglass figure. She had on blue shorts that only came down a few inches from her waist, and a pink tank top. She wore her brown hair in a ponytail. She was commanding an Infernape. It had an orange body, with white feet and torso. It had golden pads on its joints, as well as a flame flowing from its head.

Upon seeing her, it took all of Dawn's strength to hold back Brock, as to not interrupt the battle.

On the other side of the field was a boy who looked to be no older than twelve. He wore blue skinny jeans and a simple black t-shirt. He wore a blue hat covering his short, blonde hair. In front of him was a Meowstic. It was a male, due to its primary blue coloration. His arms and legs had no visible hands or feet respectively, and his head was feline in appearance.

"Meowstic, psyshock!"

"Dodge, then use Shadow Claw"

Meowstic's eyes glowed a bright blue, and seemingly out of nowhere three orbs of psychic energy appeared and shot towards Infernape. However, Infernape swiftly dodged them and charged towards Meowstic with her arm reared back, her hand glowing in a dark and purple aura. She then struck Meowstic square in the stomach, sending him flying back. He didn't recover.

"Meowstic is unable to continue battling, Infernape is the winner and the match goes to Susan!" The person acting as ref stated.

"Wow she's amazing Brock exclaimed." I could stare-UUUGGGHHH!" Before he could finish, his Croagunk appeared, giving him the old Poison Jab to the stomach, dragging him away even before he could make a scene.

Dawn giggled at the sight. "Same old Brock."

Ash walked up to the girl, who was recalling her Infernape. "So you're Susan?" He asked.

"Yep. Susan Blalock from Viridian city."

"Cool. I couldn't help but notice that you're Infernape looked really strong out there. Care for another match?" He asked.

"Sure, I could use the warm up for the prelims tomorrow." She replied.

"Uh, what happened to the 'I need to save my Pokémon's energy for tomorrow' that you said earlier Ash?" Dawn asked.

Ash blushed a little in response. "Like she said, it's just a warm up. Besides, I wanna see how we'll my new team member will do since he evolved." He turned towards Susan. "One on one?"

"Sure."

Brock, appearing out of nowhere, offered to be the referee. Both people agreed.

"Same old Ash, can't keep his nose out of anything that involved Pokémon battles," Gary remarked.

"I know, but that's one of his best qualities!" Dawn defended.

Gary gave a knowing smirk. "Whatever you say, Dawn."

"This will be a one on one practice match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, versus Susan Blalock of Viridian city," Brock started. "Each side will use one Pokémon, and the match is over when that Pokémon is unable to continue. No substitutions will be allowed. Are both trainers ready?"

Both nodded yes.

"Then please send out your Pokémon. "

"Altaria, let's go!" Susan cried. A Pokémon that had a white body that seemed to be made of cotton appeared. She had blue feet and tail, and on her head seemed to be two flowing ribbons.

"Perfect." Ash said. "Garchomp, I choose you!"

Out came the Mach Pokémon, it was dark blue with a long tail and a fin on its back, as well as scythe-like appendages on its arms. Its head resembled a hammerhead shark.

"Ah, a battle of the dragons, I see." Susan commented.

"Since when does Ash have a Garchomp?" Gary asked Dawn.

"Remember that troublesome Gible he caught in Sinnoh? Ash decided to bring him with him when we travelled to Unova, and after evolving early on into Gabite, he evolved again during the Unova league," she recalled.

"Ah."

"Garchomp versus Altaria, begin!"

"Altaria, Dragonbreath!"

"Counter with flamethrower!"

The green energy coming out of Altaria's mouth was matched by the flames emerging from Garchomp. The attacks caused a mini-explosion in the center of the field.

"Cotton Guard, followed by Double edge!"

"Counter with Iron Tail!"

Altaria summoned the fluff from her body, creating a cushion of sorts. She then swooped down towards Garchomp, leaving a streak of yellow light behind her. Garchomp had his iron tail at the ready, and when Altaria was about to crash into Garchomp, he swung at her with his tail and sent her flying back. However, the extra cushioning from the cotton guard protected her from any real damage.  
"Garchomp, Dragon pulse!"

"Counter it with ice beam, then fly up into the air!"

Garchomp opened his mouth, and a turquoise ball of energy shot towards Altaria. She emitted a beam of ice, causing the attack to freeze over. However, the dragon pulse continued its way towards its target, striking a clean hit, the damage being multiplied by the ice. Altaria immediately showed signs of fatigue.

"Use roost!" Susan said desperately.

"Big mistake. Garchomp, Draco Meteor!"

As Altaria landed to rest her body, Garchomp prepared to fire the most powerful Dragon type attack. An orange glow appeared from his belly, before aiming his mouth straight up and firing off dozens of red comets into the air. The defenseless dragon type could only watch in horror as they made their way down to their target. She cried out in pain as she was stuck numerous times by the meteors. Finally succumbing to the pain, she fell backwards, knocked out cold.

"Altaria is unable to battle, Garchomp is the winner, and the victory goes to Ash!" Brock said.

"Great job Altaria, you were wonderful out there," Susan said, recalling her fallen Pokémon. She looked up at Ash. "Great match. I hope we get to face each other in the tournament."

"Me too," he replied, recalling Garchomp in the process. "You were excellent out there buddy, I'm proud of you. Take a nice long rest."

"Attention passengers, we are arriving at Vermilion City. We will begin debarking in ten minutes, so please make sure you have all of your belongings with you. To those of you participating in the Pokémon World Tournament, I wish you luck."

"We'll guys," Ash said, "the first thing we need to do is register." He looked at Brock. You never told me Brock, are you gonna enter?"

Brock didn't seem to hear him, as he was busy staring at Susan, who was walking away.

"Hello? Earth to Brock?" Ash asked, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Huh? What?"

"I asked if you were gonna enter the tournament."

"Now that I think about it, I don't see why not. I'd like to try my hand at battling again. It's always nice to take a break from trying to become the world's greatest Pokémon Breeder."  
"Okay, first things first, we need to register at the Pokémon Center."

They disembarked from the ship, and started walking towards the Pokémon Center.

Dawn spoke up. "How exactly does this thing work?" She asked.

"Basically, there are qualifier rounds, each being held in each region. They narrow down the number of trainers down to 64, and then the real 'World Tournament' kicks in. then everyone is separated into groups, each based off of the seeds you placed in based on how well you did in the qualifiers. Due to the sheer amount of participants, each group has its own little mini-bracket, and the top sixteen from each group advance. After that, it's a whole lotta brackets. The whole thing is expected to take about a month, maybe more," Gary explained.

"Sounds complicated."

"It's not as bad as it would seem. Considering the qualifiers start tomorrow, they should end in about a week." Ash added.

Saying no more, the group headed into the Pokémon Center.

"We'd like to register for the tournament, please." Ash said.

"Certainly!" Nurse Joy replied. "Just fill out this paperwork, and you'll be good to go."

After registering, the group decided to split up, Gary going his separate ways, while Ash, Brock, and Dawn decided to eat lunch.

"Bye Gary, see ya tomorrow!" Ash called.

"Bye Ashy-boy!" Gary smirked.

* * *

**Yes, I know, another battle on the ship, how original. But I spent a long time thinking about what I could write while they were on the ferry, and a battle was the only thing that came to mind. I mentioned Unova, and as far as I'm concerned, Iris doesn't exist. she is probably the most annoying person in the anime, even putting Barry to shame. The voice doesn't help either. Cilan won't make an appearance, except maybe in a flash back, but don't expect it. I don't have a problem with him. The way this goes for the story, Dawn and Brock never left Ash when he went to Unova, and his Pokemon will be altered to my liking, i.e. Garchomp. He hasn't gone to Kalos yet, so Serena and Clemont don't exist. Anyways, I'm still accepting OCs, so please send them in! Please R&R and see you next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here's chapter 6! Its slightly longer than usual, but not by much. I don't have much to say until the end of the chapter, so enjoy!**

* * *

As the group was walking, they came across a diner called The Epic Scyther.

"This looks like a good place to eat!" Dawn exclaimed.

The group walked in, and a waitress showed them to a booth.

"What would you like for drinks?"

I'll have an Oran Berry soda please," Ash said.

"Pecha juice for me please," said Dawn.

"I'll have water," Brock said.

"Certainly," she said before walking away.

"So Ash," Dawn said, turning towards him. "Who are you gonna use for the prelims tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure," he replied. "I'm leaning towards Garchomp, since the first rounds are one on one, probably Pikachu as well. Maybe Scrafty, since he hasn't battled in a while."

"You do realize that you can look up your opponents before the battles right?" asked Brock.

"I know, but where's the fun in that?"

"The fun is actually getting past the prelims so you can get into the qualifiers." Dawn replied.

"I guess so."

They turned their heads after hearing a cough from the end of the table. Having their attention, the waitress was there with their drinks.

"Here are your drinks, are you ready to order?" she asked.

Everyone nodded.

"I'll have the Farfetch'd Sandwich, with a side of Clauncher claws please," Ash requested.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I'll take the Corphish wrap, please."

Ash shot her a glare.

"What? I like it."

Brock spoke up. "I'll have the Tauros burger, medium well please, with a side of fries."

"Certainly. It'll be ready in about ten minutes."

"So Brock," Ash started, sipping his soda. "Who are you gonna use?"

"Based on who I face," he replied, "I'm probably gonna go with either Crobat or Swampert. It's been a while since they've been in a real battle, so I'd thought I'd give them a shot. If all else fails, I can always rely on Steelix or Golem."

"So just like old times then?"

"Just like old times."

"Pikachu, you ready for tomorrow?" Ash asked, looking over at his trusty electric type, who was busy licking the ketchup bottle at the table bone dry.

"Pika! Pika Pikachu!"

"Thanks. I know I can count on you buddy."

"Think you can save some for me? I've got a burger, and everyone knows that burgers and ketchup go together," Brock asked, a little nervously.

Pikachu sent him a menacing glare in response.

"Or not. It's always nice to have a change," Brock gulped.

Both Ash and Dawn laughed at the little escapade. They looked over, and noticed that their food had arrived.

"Here you go!" The waitress said, handing them their food.

"Thanks!" All three exclaimed in unison.

They all dug in, with Ash sucking everything down like a human vacuum.

"Jeez, the way he's eating, it's like he's never eaten before," Dawn commented.

"Ith noh thah badth, I jus reawee hungree," Ash said, mouth full of food.

"Can you please TRY to act decent out in public? You're embarrassing me." Dawn stated.

Ash swallowed his food, then took a swig of his soda. "Jeez, the way you're acting, you'd think that I was your boyfriend or something."

Dawn blushed at his comment. "No! It's..it's.. just-" she stuttered, her face turning even redder.

Brock cut in. "What she's trying to say is that you need to work on your manners. This really isn't how the Sinnoh champ should be acting in public."

Dawn, regaining her composure, mouthed a thank you to Brock. He nodded in reply.

"Come on, that was like two years ago. Besides, I only got runner up in Unova."

"Now you're just being modest. You know that winning the Lily of the Valley conference was and still is the highlight of your career as a Pokémon trainer." Dawn said.

"I guess so."

After that, the group continued to make small talk, and they finished up eating, with Ash footing the bill.

* * *

As they were walking, they came across a mall.

"Let's go shopping!" Dawn squealed.

"Ugh. I just wanna walk around." Ash groaned.

"Actually, I think that's a good idea." Brock said. "Dawn and you should go shopping. As for me, I have to get some supplies."

"No. Brock. Don't do this to me!"

"Oh come on Ash, it'll be fun! Besides, I'm gonna need someone's opinion on how I look when I try things on."

It was Ash's turn to blush this time. "I guess so. But you owe me." He turned towards Brock. If looks could kill, Brock would be dead in a heartbeat. "As for you, Brock, we'll talk about this later."

"Good. Then you can thank me."

Ash stared at him, a confused look on his face. "Why would I thank you?"

"All in due time Ash, all in due time."

"Whatever. Pikachu, let's go."

The group split up, with Brock going one way, and Ash, Dawn, and Pikachu heading into the mall.  
After going from store to store, they came across one that was chock-full of ladies clothes.

"Let's go in here!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Alright, but after this, you're buying me ice cream for dragging me in here." Ash groaned.

"Silly Ash, you do realize that it's the guy who's supposed to treat the lady to ice cream, not the girl."

"Yeah, but after buying lunch and dealing with this, I think I deserve a break."

"Oh alright," Dawn conceded.

They walked in, and Ash instinctively walked over to a bench, while Dawn browsed through the clothes.  
"I don't get it Pikachu, he said, turning towards his partner. "Between her hair and clothes shopping, she acts like the world will end if it's not right or we don't go. I don't even remember May getting this worked up. I mean sure, she still messed with her hair and her bandana, but she definitely didn't go to this extent. And Misty didn't even care at all. She just put her hair up in that side ponytail and called it a day. Neither of them were this crazy like Dawn is."

"Pika pikachu pik Pikachu, pikapi."

"I know I'm never gonna understand girls, but still, it just seems so pointless."

"Pika." Pikachu agreed.

Ash looked up, and was awestruck at what he saw. Dawn had on a tight pink mini skirt with a matching navy blue tank top. She changed her pink boots out for a pair of white sneakers, and kept her signature pink beanie with a slanted Poke Ball on it.

_I hope he at least compliments me on how I look_ Dawn thought to herself. "So, what do you think?"  
"It-it looks go-od." Ash stuttered.

"Just good?" she inquired, a hopeful smile on her face.

"Alright you look amazing!" Ash quickly put his hands over his mouth, turning beet red and surprised at what he had blurted out.

Dawn could barely hold her excitement in. _It's about damn time he took notice of me, I'll have to thank Brock later_. She looked up at him. "Glad you like it." She smiled. "And I'm glad you're finally growing out of your denseness..." She muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Ash asked, still red in the face.

"Nothing!" She said quickly. "I'm gonna go ring this up after I change."

"Okay."

Ash looked down. W_hy is my face so hot all of a sudden? And why do I feel my heart beat ten times faster? And why are there butterflies in my stomach? _he thought to himself.

Pikachu, seeing his best friend acting like this, was worried. "Pika Pikachu pikapi?"

Ash looked up. "Don't worry Pikachu, I'm fine. I'll talk to you later."

Dawn came back, still smiling from before. The smile turned from one of happiness to one of mischief. _There's no way in hell I'm passing up this opportunity_, she thought to herself. "What's wrong You're your face is redder than a Magmar."

Trying to regain his composure, Ash looked at her. Noticing her back in her usual attire, he calmed down enough to talk normally to her. "I'm fine. And about that ice cream you promised me earlier?"

"Oh alright," she replied. "But this is a one-time deal, capice?"

"Deal."

They walked a little further until they came across a small ice cream shop. Aunt Annie's the sign read.

"What would you two lovebirds like today?" The man behind the counter asked.

Both Ash and Dawn blushed at the comment.

"We're not a couple." Ash stated.

"My bad," the man replied, with a little smirk on his face.

"Anyways, I'll have a triple-chocolate sundae with caramel and chocolate fudge with sprinkles please." Ash requested.

Dawn nudged ash with her free arm. "Come on, I'm gonna go broke with an order like that" she whispered.

"Not my problem you spent all your money on clothes." He replied.

"Whatever." She spoke up. "I'll have a vanilla cone dipped in chocolate please."

"Certainly. Coming right up."

After receiving their ice cream, Dawn paid and they found a booth to sit at.

"Thanks Dawn." Ash said, mouth full of ice cream.

"Don't mention it. And for the love of Arceus please keep your damn mouth closed when you're eating!"

She scolded.

"Sorry!"

* * *

They finished up eating and decided to head out to find Brock.

"Hold on, I'll just call him on the Pokegear with my Pokenav." Ash said.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you had that."

Ash dialed a number and waited for Brock to pick up. "Hey Brock. Yeah. I was thinking we could meet up at the Pokémon Center. Yeah. Uh huh. It was fine. I'll talk to you there. Bye!" He hung up and turned to Dawn. "We're gonna meet up at the Pokémon Center."

"Okay."

They walked a short ways, with Ash slightly behind Dawn.

"Is it just me, or does Dawn look different?" he asked his faithful companion.

"Pika? Pikachu pikapi."

"I don't know, something just seems a little different about her buddy, but I just don't know what it is."

"Pikachu."

"I'll figure it out eventually."

They arrived at the center, only to find a bored looking Brock.

"About time you guys got here!" He exclaimed.

"Sorry Brock." Ash replied. He looked at the clock on the wall. "It's almost dinner time. How about we get a bite to eat at the cafeteria, then crash for the night here."

Upon hearing this, Nurse Joy piped up. "Sorry guys, but the center is booked out."

"WHAT!?" The three exclaimed.

"Yes, I can only suggest that you book a room at one of the hotels. I'm sorry, but the tournament has drawn a lot of attention and a lot of trainers have decided to stay the week here."

"We'll I guess we're gonna have to find a room then," Ash said. "Thanks Nurse Joy."

"Take care. We hope to see you again!"

The group walked outside, a little down upon learning that they would have to pay for a hotel.

"Let's book a room, then get something to eat." Brock suggested.

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

The group entered the hotel and walked up to the lady behind the desk.

"Can we have a room with three beds please?" Brock asked.

"Sorry, we don't have any left. The best we can do is two king sized beds." She replied.

Brock turned towards the two teens. "I say we take it. We can figure out sleeping arrangements later."

"Sounds good," Dawn replied.

Brock turned back around. "We'll take it."

"Certainly. It's room 401 on the fourth floor."

"Thanks."

The group headed towards their room, taking the elevator. When they reached their room, they were quite surprised. It had two king sized beds on opposite sides of the room, a big plasma TV, and an arm chair. The TV was positioned so that you could sit on the beds and still be able to see it.

"Wow, this room is really nice, thanks Brock!" Dawn exclaimed, putting down the clothes she bought.

"Yeah, this is definitely high class." Ash added.

"No problem. Now what are we gonna do about sleeping arrangements?"

"We'll, since you're the biggest, and you're paying for the room, I think you should get one bed." Dawn said.

"And you should get the other one, Dawn. It wouldn't be fair for you to sleep on the floor." Ash said.

Dawn smiled, a thought popping into her head. "Who said anything about sleeping on the floor? We can share the bed! It's big enough so that it won't bother either of us, plus you'll need the rest for tomorrow."

"But-"

"No buts. It's decided. Brock gets one bed, and we share the other."

Brock smirked knowingly. "Sounds good Dawn, let's eat."

The group headed out, ready for dinner.

* * *

**Well, there it is. Hope you liked it. If you haven't figured it out yet, Pearlshipping is the way this fic is going. Definitely some hints in this chapter. Next chapter is going back to Jake and May, so the battle between him and Drew is gonna be in the next chapter. I wont update again until after Thanksgiving, between family coming and the overall fact that most of my readers are American, I don't want to update on a holiday, maybe Friday though. Speaking of views, I'M OVER 1,000! Seriously, I never would've thought that I'd get this far, so thanks to all those who have read. I don't have that much more to say, except that I'm still accepting OCs. In the reviews, someone suggested one that had Latios. Sorry, but I will not accept any OC's that own legendaries, simply because unlike the games, legendaries are all powerful like in the anime, and I don't want trainers to have them. Anyways, Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans, and to my international readers, see you after Thursday!**


	7. Chapter 7 Part 1

**So here it is, as promised, chapter 7! I split it up into two parts, mainly because the whole thing was almost six thousand words. Don't worry; I'll upload both on the same day. I'll have separate A/N for each part, each addressing their own things. Without further ado, Chapter 7 part 1!**

* * *

"This will be a three on three battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Drew Hayden of Larousse City. There is no time limit, and substitutions are allowed by both sides. Are both trainers ready?" Max said.

Both nodded.

"Then send out your first Pokémon.

"Go, Absol!" Drew cried.

A white, quadruped Pokémon that had a black face with a scythe going upwards appeared.

"Perfect." Jake stated. "Blazer, engage!"

A shiny Blaziken emerged. He had orange feet, dark red legs, and white feathers coming out of the back of his head, giving the appearance of hair. The feathers also wrapped around his chest, giving off the impression of a vest. His arms were skinny compared to his thick legs, and had three claws.

_So he's starting out with his strongest Pokémon_ May thought to herself. _He definitely is going all out, just for me. I mean, just look at his face, pure determination for facing someone he's never met before_.

"Blaziken versus Absol, begin!"

"Blaze Rush!" Jake commanded.

"Blaze Rush? What the hell is that?" Drew asked himself.

Before either could react, Blaziken shot forward; his body covered in flames, and struck Absol square in the body.

"Counter with Razor Wind!"

"You know what to do! Close Combat!"

"What the hell!? Blaziken can't even learn Close Combat!" Drew was flabbergasted. _How the fuck does this shit happen?_

"I know, that's why it's a combo. For a coordinator, you seem awfully surprised." Jake stated blankly.

"Argh!" Drew was outraged. _Being shown up by some punk ass kid, a trainer nonetheless. Who does he think he is?_

Meanwhile, Blaziken effortlessly dodged the Razor Wind, then kicked Absol's legs out from under him. He then followed with a series of double kicks and Sky Uppercuts, mercilessly striking his opponent with no let up, sensing the importance of the battle.

Soon it was all over and Absol collapsed after the merciless attacks.

"Absol is unable to battle, Blaziken wins!"

_Wow, he showed practically no mercy to Drew. And on top of that, Blaziken wasn't even hit by a single attack_! May thought to herself. She turned towards Eevee, who was sitting on her shoulder. "He's really good, isn't he?"

"Eevee!" He smirked.

"Absol return. Go, Flygon!"

"Flygon versus Blaziken, begin!"

"Earthquake, now!"

"Ice punch!"

Flygon slammed his foot into the ground, causing a massive tremor. However, Blaziken used his powerful legs to easily avoid the attack, before slamming his ice cold fist into Flygon, freezing one of his wings. Flygon fell to the ground, unable to continue flying.

"Follow up with another Ice Punch! Then finish with High Jump Kick!"

"Flygon, get out of there!" Drew panicked.

Blaziken slammed his fist into Flygon again, this time immobilizing his legs, and preventing him from moving. Blaziken then backed up before jumping into the air and hitting his knee into Flygon. It proved to be too much, and Flygon collapsed as well.

"Flygon is unable to battle, Blaziken wins!"

Drew was flabbergasted. He had lost two Pokémon without landing a single attack. On top of that, Blaziken seemed to only get faster and faster. "Flygon return."

"Give it up. I know what your last Pokémon will be, and frankly you have zero chance of beating Blazer. I don't want to hurt your Pokémon any more than I have to." Jake said coldly.

"Give up? GIVE UP!? Never. Not to some punk ass trainer like you. I don't know who you are, but you're dealing with the winner of the Hoenn Grand Festival here. I'm not giving in to some low life trainer who thinks he can just waltz in and steal my girl. Roserade, let's go!" He shouted.

"You're girl? It doesn't seem like it. Not the way she's acting. Blazer, lets finish this up. Blaze Rush into rapid fire Fire Punches!"

"Leaf storm!"

Immediately, Blaziken burst into flames before shooting towards Roserade like a rocket. He crashed into his opponent, not even flinching at the leaves fired at him. He then quickly followed up with a series of fire punches, so fast it looked like nothing but a continuous streak of flames.

"Finish with Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken reared back, then struck Roserade square in the chest with a fiery foot, causing him to fly back, crashing right in front of Drew.

"Roserade is unable to battle, Blaziken wins!" Max cheered. "The winner is Jake Smith of Littleroot Town!"

Jake walked up to Drew, who was busy recalling his Roserade. "A deals a deal. Get the fuck outta my sight. Now."

"What are you gonna do? I'm the fucking winner of the Hoenn grand festival! I'm not a nobody like you." He sneered back.

"Drew," May piped in. "You're gonna regret this," she said softly.

"Regret what? He can't do nothin, and you shouldn't be hanging around this loser anyways." He turned back towards Jake, only to see a fist flying towards his face, knocking him to the ground.

"One, she wants you out of her life, so I'd suggest you do so, if you know what's good for you. Two. You're talking awfully big for someone who was swept. Three, I'm the mother fucking winner of the Hoenn league, bitch. So don't you dare call me a loser again. And if May even **mentions** that you're bothering her, you'll walk away with more than a bloody nose next time." Jake turned towards May, who was taken aback. His demeanor immediately changed to a caring tone. "We should get going. I'm sure he won't be bothering you again."

"Okay."

The four walked away, including Blazer, leaving an enraged Drew holding his nose. "You'll regret this, Smith." He muttered.

As the four walked away, Jake recalled his Blaziken. "You were exceptional out there." He said. "I knew I could count on you to take care of assholes like him."

May turned towards Jake, a sad expression on her face, handing Eevee back to him. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me, now that he's finally off my back."

"Don't mention it. Anything for an old friend." Jake smiled.

"Seriously, he had been stalking me for **years**. Ever since I made the mistake of agreeing to go out with him the first time, he's treated me like shit." May said, tears forming in her eyes. "I seriously can't thank you enough." She then surprised everyone, even Jake by pulling him into a tight hug, tears streaming down her face.

Jake was shocked. His childhood best friend, after only meeting up with her a few hours ago, was already crying into his shoulder. "Take your t-ime, let it all out," he stuttered.

May started to calm down, and looked up into Jake's auburn eyes. "Thank you, again. I feel much better now."

"If you ever need someone to talk to, you can come to me." He replied.

"Wow sis, I never knew that it was this bad," Max said.

"Please don't even get me started." May replied, coming out of the hug with Jake.

He let go, although somewhat reluctantly. _I've just met back up with her, yet she seems, different. I don't know why I feel this way, but I definitely enjoyed that hug, even though she was practically bawling her eyes out._ Unbeknownst to him, his face was redder than a Magmar.

Eevee turned to him, rubbing up against his chin. "Eevee!" He said, smirking coyly.

Jake turned to him. "What do you mean my face is redder than a Magmar?"

"Eev. Eevee. Vui!"

"We'll talk about this later." He turned towards the other two, however, Max decided to poke fun at the situation.

"Jake likes May. Jake likes May!" He taunted, grinning.

Jake took the bait. "What, no I don't!"

May smiled, playing along. "Oh, so you don't like me now, whatever happened to, you can come to me if you need to talk to someone?"

"Wha-no that's not what I meant! I-I-I do like you, just not-not like that." He stuttered, his face beet red.  
"So that's why your face is redder than a Magmar?" She asked, giggling, obviously feeling much better.

"Even now, several years later, you still know how to get on my nerves," Jake pouted. "Now, if I recall correctly, you said that you'd get us ice cream before this whole thing happened." He smirked, regaining his composure.

May smiled. "I remember. I also remember where a great ice cream place is, too."

_That smile, it always got me. I love seeing that smile. Oh shit, did I just say love? Oh no, I think that just explained why I was blushing like a mad man earlier._ Once again, his face turned red.

Once again taking advantage of the situation, Max decided to poke fun at Jake again. "You thinking about May, Jake? Huh? Got the hots for my sister?"

"Max leave him alone." She turned around, only to find Jake walking away, his head turned towards Eevee, who was trying to comfort him. "Go up to the shop. I'll catch up to you in a minute."

Max smirked. "Okay sis, I don't need to see that anyways."

The only reply was a smack to the back of his head. "Shut up."

May caught up to Jake. "Hey, what's up?" She asked.

"Nothing." He lied.

"Jake, it may have been a long time since we've last talked, but I know when you're lying to me. Come on. You offered to talk to me if I ever needed to talk to you. Now I'm offering the same thing to you."

"Sorry, but even if you were-are my best friend, it's something between me and Eevee. You know that I hate to keep you out of the loop like this, but it's really something between just me and Eevee."

May nodded. "Thank you for being honest. But at least tell me this, does it have anything to do with what Max said back there?"

Immediately Jake turned red. "I don't know. We just met back up a few hours ago, and already he's saying that I like you? What's his problem?"

"Max will take any opportunity to try and embarrass me, even at the cost of other people's embarrassment." She smiled. "Come on, let's go back and get that ice cream I promised you. Think of it as my way of saying thank you for everything you've done today for me." She held out her hand.

_There it is again. That smile! And on top of that, she already suspects something! I know I've known her my whole life, but I just met back up with her a few hours ago, and I'm almost positive I have feelings for her._ Jake thought to himself. He looked up, seeing May's hand outstretched. "Okay," he conceded, smiling as he took her hand. "Let's go, you lead the way."

She smiled back. "Just like old times."

They finally arrived, meeting up with Max in the process.

"Took you love birds long enough." He smirked.

"Oh cut the shit Max," Jake said, his confidence restored. "There's nothing going on between us, just two old friends catching up."

"Oh really?"

Max looked down, with Jake following his gaze. "What, is it required that two people holding hands be a couple?"

"Yes."

Before he knew it, May had smacked him in the head again. "Cut it out Max. Otherwise there's more where that came from."

"Okay."

The trio walked in.

"What can I get for you guys?"

"I'll have a vanilla cone, please, extra-large." Jake requested.

"That's it? You don't have to be modest cause I'm paying you know."

"I'm not. That's why I said an EXTRA large."

She smiled. "Fair enough. I'll have a large nanab berry split with chocolate fudge please."

"And I'll take a peanut butter sundae with caramel and whipped cream please."

"Certainly, coming right up."

After a few minutes, the trio received their ice cream. After May paid, they sat down. Deciding to strike up a conversation, May spoke up.

"So you never told us, how did you lose in the semi- finals in Kalos?"

Jake chuckled. "Long story short, my two aces, Maverick and Blazer, were not in the line-up because the girl I faced before in the quarter finals really gave me a run for my money. Between her Dragonite and Empoleon, I almost lost. Both Maverick and Blazer beat them respectively, but they were too tired to battle the next day."

"So how did you lose though?" Max inquired.

"Alright. It started out routinely, with Shadow, my newest and probably the best Pokémon I could ever ask for as a lead, went against the guy's Hitmonlee."

"Shadow?"

"Oh right, Shadow, my Greninja. His ability is Protean, which allows him to change his type based on the moves he uses. Anyways, he beat Hitmonlee fairly easily. His Scizor, not so much. He eventually won, but was on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, so I recalled him, and sent out Talon, my Braviary, against his Staraptor. Unfortunately, he got a lucky hit on his wing, which ultimately led to his defeat. I sent out Pharaoh, my Cofagrigus, which was able to pull out the win. His Zoroark, disguised as a Tyranitar initially, defeated him, but lost to Blade, my Gallade. Blade lost to his Tyranitar, and Titan, my Tyrantrum, drew with him. That left his Charizard versus Brain, my Metagross. Unfortunately, mega evolution was allowed that late in the tournament, so between that and the type disadvantage, Brain finally fainted. Shadow, having been exhausted from his battle with Scizor, lost fairly quickly, giving him the win."

"Wow," May said. "Do you think that if you had Blazer you would have won?"

"Yes. Not only is he the strongest I have, I also found a stone called a Blazikenite, which, along with my mega ring on my wrist, allows him to mega evolve. I rarely use it, mainly because I don't need to, but he always pulls through when he mega evolves. That's why I won the Hoenn league. He was able to get me out of a pinch when my opponent's Aggron took two Pokémon before he took him out."

"The same Aggron that beat me?" Max asked.

"Yep."

"Wow. I'd sure like to hear more of your stories." May commented.

"Well, I guess I could, I have done a lot since we last talked. But under one condition."

"What?"

"You tell me what you've been doing for the past few years."

"That's it? I'd expect more than that with the way you said it like that."

"Nope. That's it. I wanna hear your stories since we last talked."

"Okay, deal!"

Jake then began recalling stories of his travels. They had long finished their ice cream, and Max had grown bored and resolved to entertaining himself with Eevee, who had decided to let his friend go on uninterrupted. May, on the other hand, listened intently, clearly impressed with how Jake had met all of his Pokémon, leaving one left.

"How did you meet Eevee, and why does he stay outside of his Poke Ball?" May asked.

Upon hearing this, Eevee hopped over to Jake, rubbing up against him affectionately.

"Well, it's a long story, right bud?" He said, looking down at his friend.

"Eevee!"

"Alright, I'll tell her." He looked up at May, and made eye contact with her sapphire eyes. He spaced out, thinking about her again. _Those eyes, they're beautiful. No. No. No. I can't be thinking about her like that, she's my best friend. Right? It would be weird. Shit. Now it's gonna be somewhat awkward for me now that I realized that I have feelings for her. I wish she felt the same way..._

_There he goes again!_ May thought to herself. _He zones out when he makes eye contact with me. Maybe Max was right, between the blushing fit earlier, and him getting really defensive around Drew, he might actually like me. Not that that's a bad thing, I mean he's cute, plus he's a really nice guy._ May started to feel a weird sensation inside of her chest. _Oh great. I remember feeling like this. Back when I travelled with Ash. I always felt like this around him, but he was so DENSE! He wouldn't know what love was, even if a girl flat out proposed! It doesn't matter. That was then, and I've moved on. Now that I'm feeling this towards my old friend, I hope this doesn't make things awkward between us. Man, it would really be nice if I had a girl to talk to about this stuff. I know Dawn would be all over it. Speaking of Dawn, I wonder if she's still traveling with Ash. I don't know, maybe if Max qualifies, we'll meet up with them at the tournament. It would be nice to see them again... but now I think I'm starting to like Jake, although I'm not complaining. I'll see how this plays out. Worst comes to worst, I get a new boyfriend out of this.  
_

"We'll isn't that sweet," Max smirked, glancing at the two teens who were snapping back to their senses.

"What?" They both said in unison.

"Both of your faces are beet red. You, uh, you know, thinking about each other?"

"N-no!" Both replied, once again in unison. They looked at each other, and sure enough, their faces were redder than a Magmar.

"Anyways," Jake cut in, quickly changing the subject. "I met Eevee a few months after I started traveling on my own. I had just beaten Winona, and back then I kept Blazer out of his ball.

* * *

**So yeah, there's part one. About the battle. Yes it's one-sided. Yes Blazer swept Drew's team. Yes it may seem like he's a bit OP. but don't worry, the way I see it, he was able to sense the importance of the battle, and thus went a little over the top. Another thing, Blaze Rush. It's simply a priority fire attack, like shadow sneak or aqua jet. Nothing fancy. Plus I like the name. Close combat was already explained, just a series of Sky Uppercuts and Double kicks in rapid succession, Jake called it Close Combat. And some shippyness, I hope it wasn't too forward. Anyways, part two coming up later today!  
**


	8. Chapter 7 Part 2

**Here's part two!**

* * *

_"So we won the feather badge Blazer!" Jake exclaimed. "You were awesome! Especially evolving just so you could beat that Swellow! You're the best Pokemon a trainer could ask for!"_

_Blazer smiled at the comment, gloating at the praise he had received. All of a sudden, he swore he heard something. "Blaziken."_

_"You hear something?" Jake asked. He strained his ears, listening intently. He then thought he heard a faint cry. _

_"Blaze. Blaziken."_

_"Yeah, I hear it, too." He pulled out a Poke ball. "Grace, engage!"_

_Out came a Gardevoir. She had two, long skinny legs that ended in points, covered by what looked like a white gown. She had a red horn protruding from her chest and back, and had two green arms. Her face seemed to be covered by what looked like green hair. _

_"Grace, do you think you can find where that sound is coming from?"_

_She nodded, and her eyes started to glow white. She then floated towards a particular direction, beckoning the other two to follow. They ran after her, hearing the now district cry of an Eevee getting closer by the second. Suddenly, Grace stopped, and looked up. There, trapped in a net was a young Eevee, obviously in pain. _

_"Don't worry, little guy, we'll get you out of there," Jake calmly said. "Blazer, cut through that net with Sky Uppercut. Grace, keep him from falling with your Psychic."_

_The two Pokemon did as they were told, with Blazer easily cutting through the net. Grace gently caught the Eevee using her psychic powers and carried him over to Jake's outstretched arms. _

_"Don't worry, you'll be safe with me." He whispered to the Eevee._

_"I wouldn't count on that, bub." Said a voice from behind him. _

_Jake turned around, seeing a man wearing gray pants, along with a black shirt. He had menacing blue eyes and had a Poke Ball in hand. "Hand back the Eevee, and no one gets hurt."_

_"I don't think so." He turned towards the frightened Eevee, who buried his head into Jake's chest in fear. "Don't worry," he whispered. "I've dealt with poachers before, they all act tough and hide behind their Tyranitars. He won't be a problem."_

_"Big mistake. Tyranitar, grab that Eevee!"_

_Out popped the seven foot green reptile. He immediately charged forward, aimed straight at Jake.  
"Blazer intercept with Sky Uppercut! Follow with close combat!"_

_Blaziken immediately charged forward, his fist glowing blue. He got in between Jake and the Tyranitar, striking a devastating blow to his jaw. Without missing a beat, he immediately followed with a series of double kicks and sky uppercuts, causing the Tyranitar to stagger back, exhausted. _

_"What the hell are you doing? Hyper beam now!"_

_"Just as I expected. Protect, followed by High Jump Kick!"_

_Tyranitar opened his mouth, emitting a powerful beam of orange energy aimed straight at Blazer. However, it simply bounced off a protective barrier. Immobilized, he could only watch as Blazer came flying in, leg outstretched, and being struck square in the stomach by his knee. He collapsed, the four times super effective move proving too much. _

_"Get out of my sight, or you're next." Jake said coldly. _

_The poacher didn't move, aside from recalling his fallen Tyranitar. _

_"You're choice. Fire punch now!"_

_Blazer, having developed a hate for poachers along with his trainer, complied without mercy. He struck the poacher in the chest with a flaming fist. Causing him to fly back and slam into a tree. The last thing the poacher saw before losing consciousness was Jake pulling out a rope and tying his arms around a tree. _

_Jake pulled out his Pokenav. "Officer Jenny? Yeah. I have a poacher here who was trying to capture an Eevee. Yeah. Route 120. Yeah. He's near the path tied up. Yep. No problem. Bye." He turned towards the Eevee, who was still snuggling up to him. "You wanna come with me, don't you?"_

_The Eevee nodded. _

_"Okay then, let me just get a Poke Ball then." He reached into his backpack and took out a Poke Ball. Upon seeing this, the Eevee slapped it away from his hand. _

_"What? I thought you wanted to come with me?" Jake asked, surprised. _

_"Vui. Eevee."_

_"So you're saying that you wanna come with me, just not as a capture?"_

_Eevee nodded, jumping up to his shoulder. He then rubbed against his face affectionately. _

_"Alright then, but I'm definitely gonna need to teach you some defensive moves so you're not captured." He pulled out another Poke Ball from his belt. "Thanks for the help, Grace, take a rest." He recalled Grace, before looking over at Blazer, who was staring at the unconscious poacher. "Come on bud, he's not going anywhere, and Officer Jenny is coming to arrest him."_

_Blazer turned towards his trainer, before conceding and walking away, conversing with their new friend._

* * *

"Wow. I have to say, I never expected you to have had such a history with poachers." May said.

"Yeah, they get on my fucking nerves. They think that they can just come in and take Pokemon from their homes. Catching them in a Poke Ball is one thing, but taking them away to be sold to Arceus knows who is beyond terrible."

Max, changing the subject, piped in. "Guys it's pretty late, and it's almost dinner time." Sure enough, the clock read five thirty. "What do you two wanna do?"

"I say we eat!" May exclaimed. She turned towards Jake. "You wanna come with us? I know you've always had a knack for food."

"Sure."

The group headed out of the ice cream shop to find a place to eat. They came across a restaurant that wasn't too crowded, and walked inside. A waitress showed them to a table. After taking their drink orders, she walked away.

"So, Jake. Why don't you have a Sceptile? You have the other two Hoenn starters, so why not a Sceptile. After all, he is the best one." Max asked.

"Well, to be one hundred percent honest with you, I never really got a chance to catch a Treecko. I received Blazer as my starter, and I rescued Riptide from a waterfall when he was just a Mudkip. I've come across some Grovyles in my travels, but it's not the same as raising one from its first evolutionary stage. Besides, a Sceptile's best quality is its speed, and Shadow does this job, as well as playing mind games with my opponents, which is why he's earned a permanent spot as my lead. Nothing beats being able to hit fast and confusing my opponents in the process. As for Sceptile being the best starter, no. Hands down its Blaziken all the way. A Blaziken will take out a Sceptile any day of the week."

"Not **every**time." Max taunted. "Right May?"

"Oh come on! That was one of the best battles I have ever had! Besides, Blaziken had just evolved, and Ash's Sceptile had a lot of time to train with Ash."

"What happened?" Asked Jake.

"On the last day that I travelled with Ash, we came across a poster for a contest in Terracotta Town. We both decided to enter for fun, since he had just beaten the Battle Frontier, and I had just finished the Kanto contest circuit. We both made it past the appeals round, and we battled each other in the finals. After a long, grueling battle that went from a contest battle to a league battle, we ended up tying. When they couldn't decide who to give the ribbon to, Ash's Sceptile used leaf blade to cut the ribbon in half. He keeps one side of it, while I keep the other."

"Wow. That ribbon must really mean a lot to you, right?" Asked Jake.

"Yeah. I use it to remember all the fun times I had traveling through Hoenn the first time, as well as Kanto."

"Now I really want to meet Ash! If his Sceptile can draw with a Blaziken, he must be really good!"

"He is." Max defended.

Changing the subject, Jake turned to Max. "So, I'm assuming you chose Treecko as your starter? Who else do you have?"

"Yep. I have Sceptile, Swellow, Gardevoir, Slaking, Salamence, and Absol."

"Pretty impressive team you got there. Have any others from other regions?"

"Yeah, but I mainly use my Hoenn team for battling in tournaments and stuff."

"You don't switch it up? I mean take it from me, I have three Pokemon that I use in almost every match. Even then, the other three members are switched out constantly so as to keep my opponent second guessing what I'm gonna use. Hell, even my lead will always mess with my opponents' minds. No matter what they do to prepare for Shadow, 99 times out of 100 I will start off the match one zero. You can't limit yourself to the same six Pokemon every time. It'll just allow your opponent to read you like a book." Jake said, going on a mini rant.

"He's got a point Max. If you use the same Pokemon every match, you're already at a disadvantage." May added.

"I guess." He turned towards Jake. "Tell me something though. You said you switch your Pokemon out constantly, save for a few. Doesn't that mean that those who you switch out aren't as strong as the ones you keep with you at all times?" Max asked.

"Yes, they may not be AS strong as the ones I keep with me on rotation, but even so, all of my Pokemon are at a high level. I train with them every day. Today is an exception since I ran into you, but even then, I still battled twice today."

Who else did you battle?" May asked. "I thought you only beat the pants off of Drew?"

Jake smiled. "I also beat the pants off of some cocky son of a bitch on the ferry ride over here. I knocked him right off his high horse. To say that he was a sore loser is an understatement to say the least."

Unbeknownst to them, the waitress had already brought them their drinks, and had proceeded to wait for them to finish their conversation. Slightly annoyed, she spoke up. "Are you all ready to order?"

All three looked up.

"Yes. I'll have the roasted Krabby please, with a side of potatoes." Jake said.

"I'll have the roasted Farfetch'd please. "Said May.

"I'll have a Taurose burger, medium rare. And a side of fries too," said Max.

"Certainly, it'll be ready in ten minutes."

As the waitress walked away, Jake asked the inevitable. "So are we gonna split up after this? Don't get me wrong, it was really nice seeing you again, but after this, I gotta book a room at the hotel to get ready for tomorrow. Although, I would like to meet up with you guys in the morning."

May looked slightly disappointed by this, but she understood. "Yeah. We were gonna book a room, too, so we could walk over there together. We can meet up at eight thirty tomorrow morning for breakfast. That should give us plenty of time to eat and get to the stadium before the matches start."

"I'm with you on this one sis."

"Alright, it's decided then." Jake turned towards May. "If, for whatever reason, Max doesn't qualify, which I'm sure he will, would you like to accompany me to Driftveil City? I'm sure we won't have to worry about that, but I'd just like to know." He said the last part with a slight blush on his face, glad the dim lighting hid it from May.

"I'd love to!" May exclaimed. "But, as annoying as he is, he has talent, and I don't think we'll have to worry about that. But yes, I would love to go with you if worst comes to worst."

"Cool."

The group noticed that their food had arrived, and they dug in, with Jake and May shoveling down their food.

"Some things never change." Max sighed.

"Vui," Eevee agreed.

The group finished eating, with May and Jake agreeing to split the bill, and they headed out to the hotel. After checking into their rooms, which were conveniently right next to each other, the bid each other a good night.

Jake walked in, slung his bag off of his shoulder, and practically collapsed on his bed. "Man," he said to Eevee, who had since curled up in a comfortable spot on the bed.

"What a day. First, I battled some egotistical asswipe, then I bumped into my best friend from when I was a kid, then I had Blazer put her overbearing ex into place. On top of that, I found out that I more likely than not have feelings for her! Is it wrong of me to think of her like that? I mean I know we haven't seen each other in like six years, but I feel like it's wrong to like my best friend like that. What do you think?"

"Eevee. Eev. Eevee vui eev." He reassured.

"Really? You think that she might feel the same way? What makes you say that?"

"Eev. Eevee eev. Vui eevee."

"Yeah, I noticed her blushing too, but I thought that all girls did that from time to time."

Eevee rolled his eyes. "Eevee. Eev."

"NO!" Jake shouted. "I don't wanna tell her how I feel. We just met back up only a few hours ago. Plus, if she doesn't feel the same way, then it'll be awkward for us, and I don't want that to happen. She was a big part of my life at one point, and I want her to refill that role. Tell ya what, if you help me out with finding out for sure, I'll tell her how I feel. But ONLY if I'm 100 percent sure. I don't want to risk my friendship with her over this."

"Vui." Eevee agreed.

Jake scooted over to where Eevee was laying and gave him a big hug. "Thank you. I know I can count on you for any of my emotional problems. I owe you one."

Upon hearing this, Eevee smiled mischievously.

Jake took immediate notice of this. "Uh oh, what did I get myself into this time?" He asked rhetorically.

"Eevee!"

"I was afraid of that. Anyways, it's getting late. I wanna be able to get up on time, **without** having you get Shockwave to electrocute me. Got it?"

Eevee nodded.

"Goodnight!" He said, turning off the lights and climbed in under the covers, snuggling with Eevee.

"Vui," he cooed back, snuggling back into his friend's chest.

* * *

**So there it is, Part two, and the conclusion of chapter seven. This chapter provides a little more backstory, most notably on how Jake came across Eevee. I wonder why Jake doesn't leave Blazer out of his Poke Ball anymore? Hmm. Anyways, that was a long chapter, but it was fun to write nonetheless. Next chapter will officially mark the beginning of the tournament, although I'm not sure if ill stick with Jake and May, or go back to Ash, Brock, and Dawn. Either way, itll alternate between them, so don't worry about that. I'm still accepting OCs, but you're running out of time. Especially if they're from Kanto or Hoenn. Thanks for reading, and Please review!**


	9. Chapter 8

**So yeah, once again, a longer chapter, however, I'm not gonna split it, and I think most chapters from now on will be around this length. A lot happens this chapter, and this also officially marks the start of the tournament. Anyways, here's chapter 8!**

* * *

Jake, as usual, was late getting up. Eevee had to nudge him for several minutes, but even that didn't work. Just as he was about to release Shockwave for a repeat of yesterday, there was a knock on the door. Seeing that Jake wasn't going to answer it, Eevee took it upon himself to answer it. He jumped down from the bed and walked over to the door.

"Jake!" May said. "Are you coming or what?"

"Eevee!" Came the reply.

"I take it he's not waking up? Alright, Eevee, see if you can slip the key card under the door. I know how to wake him up." She instructed.

A few moments later, she saw a key card slide under the door. She then unlocked the door and walked in. "What's up Eevee? Obviously not Jake, but how are you doing?" She asked, scratching him on the head. "Oh, he's gonna hate me for this. I know it," she said to herself. She walked over to the bed and looked at Jake. _He is cute when he sleeps_ she thought to herself. _Oh well, I'm gonna get a kick out of this._ She walked over to the side of the mattress, and she lifted it up, sending Jake tumbling over onto the floor.

"What the fuck!?"

"Good morning sunshine!" May said, doing her best to keep from bursting out in laughter.

"Oh. Morning May," Jake said groggily. "Wait, how the hell did you get in here?" He asked, finally realizing what had happened.

"You have Eevee to thank for that. He slipped the key card under the door, since you wouldn't wake up."

Jake glared at Eevee, who was hiding behind May's legs. "Thanks a lot bud." He said sarcastically.

"Jake, it's almost nine o'clock. You gotta be at the stadium in an hour. We were **supposed** to meet up for breakfast. Max already ate, and it's been killing me waiting this long to eat."

"Alright, I'll meet you down there in five. Let me just wake up properly and fix the bed."

"Okay, just hurry up. I don't want to have to wait any longer."

After watching May walk out, he turned to Eevee. "You know, I don't appreciate you waking me up like that."

"Vui! Eevee."

"I guess you're right. Thank god this wasn't a repeat of yesterday. I hate having to wake up like that."

He stood up, fixed the bed, and put his hat on his head. After putting on his shoes, Jake walked out of the room to meet May, Eevee hitching a ride on his shoulders. Walking down the hallway, he turned to his friend. "You wanna help me see if May likes me back today?"

"Vui."

"Alright. Here's the plan. Just cuddle up to her, try to get her to talk. I'll be over getting something to eat, taking my time."

"Eevee?"

"I know, it's not that much of a plan, but if you have a better idea, tell me."

Eevee sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Jake's crappy plan was the only thing they had to go on. "Vui."

"Thought so. When we get back to the room, tell me what she said." He looked up, noticing that they had arrived at the cafeteria. "Hey May!"

"Took you long enough." She smiled. "I've been waiting for almost ten minutes now!"

"Calm down! I'm here now aren't I? I'm gonna leave Eevee here while I go get something to eat."

_That's a bit weird. Usually Eevee stays with Jake wherever he goes. Oh well. At least I'll have someone to talk to while he's gone._ May thought to herself.

Watching the two converse, or at least May talking to Eevee, Jake went to get some food, making sure to take his time. After waiting a good ten minutes, he headed back over towards them.

"...yeah, I don't think I would mind that at all. After all he is a really nice guy and he's—"

"Hey. Who's a really nice guy?" Asked Jake.

May looked up, blushing slightly after realizing that Jake had heard her speaking, not knowing how much he heard. "Oh nobody." She lied. "I was just talking to Eevee here. Even though I don't fully understand him, he makes great company."

"That's part of the reason I keep him around."

Eevee looked up at him, a smirk on his face.

_Thanks bud_ Jake thought to himself. He smiled at them both, letting Eevee know he was in the clear. Upon seeing this, Eevee hopped over to Jake, eager to see what he had brought him to eat.

"So, Jake. You never told me yesterday. Why don't you keep Blazer out of his ball anymore?" May asked, striking up a conversation.

"Well, I don't really have an answer to that. I guess he prefers to stay in his ball. I mean, he started staying in there more often after he had evolved into a Combusken, and then after Eevee started traveling with me, he only came out to eat or battle. I don't think he likes walking a whole lot, since when he was a Torchic he rode on my head."

"You don't think he might be jealous that Eevee is always with you?"

"No. I'm sure. We had a talk about it, and he was perfectly fine with Eevee staying with us. I know when he's lying, and he was telling the honest truth when he said that. In all honesty, I think it might be because of all the attention he draws."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean he's a shiny Pokémon. Most people have never seen one before, and even less have captured one. When he was a Torchic, although it was noticeable, people overlooked the fact that he was a shiny. Why? I don't know. But when he evolved into Combusken, people started to take more notice of his different colors. Although he's a bit of an attention whore, I think the final straw was when Team Rocket tried to take him from me, claiming that the boss would want a super rare shiny Pokémon. After that, he started to stay in his ball more. Although I have every bit of faith in him, and he knows with all of his heart that I would never let anyone take him from me, I think it got to him."

"Wow. That's actually king of sad. I remember a trio from Team Rocket was always after Ash's Pikachu. They never gave up, even after hundreds of failed attempts. Even after all of that, Pikachu still stays out of his ball to this day. The fact that Team Rocket trying to take Blazer away from you got to him is sad. Are you sure that that's all that happened?"

At hearing this, Jake's eyes started to tear up a little. "No, not exactly. It took me two fucking weeks to track them down. TWO WEEKS." Jake started to sob, tears now flowing down his face. "When I finally found those assholes, it took Grace's Psychic to stop me from killing them right then and there. As much as I hate to admit it, it's a good thing she stopped me. I had found him in a cage that was electrically protected, which prevented him from using any fighting moves to get out. And it was apparently fire proof, too. He was in really bad shape when I finally got to him. I can't believe that there are people in this world who can not only steal other people's Pokémon, but also abuse them. Just for money!"

Jake was full on crying now, and May had pulled her chair up next to him, putting her arm around his shoulder trying to comfort him.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't know it was this bad. If I had known, I wouldn't have asked."

"Don't be," Jake said, starting to regain his composure. "I've never told anyone this, not even my parents. I feel much better, now that I've told someone."

"If you ever need to talk to someone, my offer still stands." May said, smiling at Jake.

"Thanks, May. You're a great friend."

"Any time Jake. Any time."

After sitting like that for a few more minutes, May holding her arm around Jake comforting him, they finally finished eating.

"I'm gonna go take a shower, where do you wanna meet back up, the lobby sound good?"

Jake asked.

"Yeah, me and Max will meet up with you there."

"Alright, see you in twenty minutes."

At that, the two walked back to their rooms.

When Jake got back to his room, he took a quick shower, got dressed, then looked at Eevee. "Alright, after all that back there, spill it. What was May talking about when I came back in?"

As Eevee started to recall what May said, in the other room May was thinking to herself, waiting for Max to finish getting ready.

* * *

_Wow. I never knew that Jake had a history with Team Rocket like that. And even though he mentioned that he wanted to kill them for what they did, I can't help but feel bad for him. I guess this explains why Blazer seemed to ruthless in that battle yesterday against Drew. All that aside, I know he left Eevee with me to spy on me, and I know Eevee is going to tell him what I said about him. I just hope this won't make things awkward between us. Yes, we've been best friends since we were kids, but it's been six years since we last saw each other. And frankly, I don't think that it would be wrong. Even though he didn't say it out loud, he practically told me that he now sees me as more of a friend, and I can't help but feel the same way. He's caring, he's smart, he's good-looking, and on top of all that, he'll go to hell and back to find one of his Pokémon, even if there's no guarantee that he'll ever see them again. I just wonder what he's gonna do with what Eevee tells him. He's definitely not dense like Ash was, jeez, I kept on hinting, and hinting, and hinting at him, yet he barely noticed me! Yes, we were best friends, but whenever I said that maybe we could be something MORE than best friends, what did he say? Oh yeah. Bestest friends! How dense can you get? I feel bad for any girl who wants to try and go after him. They're gonna be in for a rude awakening. I hope I won't have to make the first move with Jake, I mean it might take him a minute to realize that I like him, and I know he has balls because he asked me if I wanted to accompany him in the case that Max didn't make it, but I can't help but feel that I might have to give him a little push to get the ball rolling—_

"Hey sis, you ready?" Max's voice rang out, causing May to lose her train of thought.

"Yeah, I'm coming. Just let me get my bandana on, and then we can go wait for Jake in the lobby." She called back.

* * *

Meanwhile in the other room, Jake was shocked at what Eevee had told him.

"What?" He exclaimed. "You mean she told you that **I** would make a good boyfriend?"

"Vui."

"Alright then, I can't help but think that she figured out our little ploy. I hope that she isn't trying to embarrass me though."

"Vee! Eevee vui eev!" Eevee shot back, not hearing one bit of what Jake was implying.

"I know bud, I don't think she would ever do something like that to me, I know that she knows that I would never talk to her again if I did that. Now the real problem is, how, and when, do I ask her?"

"Eevee!"

"Good idea! After we qualify, I could pull her aside and ask her then. Between what you told me earlier, and the good mood I'll be in after qualifying, it'll be the perfect time! Alright, time to go meet up with them in the lobby. I just don't know what to say to her until then. And hopefully Max won't give me a hard time."

Jake smiled, knowing that this was going to be the best day of his life. Walking down to the lobby, he scratched Eevee in his favorite spot behind the ears. "Thanks bud." He whispered.

Eevee cooed in response.

* * *

The group met up, and headed out to the stadium. They arrived there after a short walk and headed over to the registration desk.

"Do you have your registration cards with you?"

"Yes, here you go," Jake and Max said together, handing their cards to the lady behind the desk.

"Alright, you're good to go!" She said, handing them a new set of cards. "You both are in group D. Good luck!"

"Thanks, they both said.

Jake turned towards Max. "Don't worry, even though we're gonna have to battle each other, we can both advance. We just need to win three battles each, and we're off to the prelims." Jake said, reassuring his younger companion.

"I know. Just don't expect to win when we battle." Max said, smiling. "My first match is in thirty minutes. When's yours?"

"I have fifteen minutes. It's against some guys named Jack Schuette. That gives me about five minutes to look him up; although I'm pretty sure I know who I'm gonna use."

Jake headed over to a computer and typed in the name.

"What does it say?" May asked.

"Hmm. It says here that he's 10 years old, his starter was a Mudkip, and he made the top 128 in this year's Hoenn league. Man, I can't help but feel bad for him."

"Why?" May asked.

"Because, I have a good six years' experience on him, and this is only his second major tournament. I've participated in seven leagues, and have won twice. Both here in Hoenn."

"Oh, yeah, I guess this is a little one-sided. Even Max could probably beat him."

"Wait a second, ah. I know who I'm gonna use now."

"Who?" Both Max and May asked.

"Come here and look for yourself."

As they looked on screen, their eyes widened. "Wow. That's impressive!" They both exclaimed in unison.

* * *

"This will be a one on one battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Jack Schuette of Fallarbor Town. The winner of this match gets two points, a tie is one point each for both trainers, and a loss is zero points. The scoreboard will determine who chooses their first Pokémon at random. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes." Jake said.

"You betcha!" Exclaimed Jack.

They looked at the scoreboard. After alternating between red and blue, it landed on red, which happened to be Jack's color.

"Would the red trainer please send out his Pokémon?"

"Alright, Hydreigon, I choose you!" Jack shouted, a triumphant look on his face.

A blue and black dragon appeared. He had three black appendages on each side of his back, which appeared to be wings. He had two legs, which appeared to be shredded at the bottom. The most noticeable thing however was that his two hands were actually mini heads.

The ref looked at Jake. "Would the blue trainer please send out his Pokémon?"

"Just as I expected. Grace, engage!"

Out came his Gardevoir. She had two, long skinny legs that ended in points, covered by what looked like a white gown. She had a red horn protruding from her chest and back, and had two green arms. Her face seemed to be covered by what looked like green hair.

"Oh come on. A psychic type against a dark type?" Jack said, a little shocked at the choice of Pokémon.

"For someone of your level, I would have at least expected you to have gone with a type advantage, since I did choose first."

"Just wait and see boy, wait and see." Jake replied.

"Gardevoir versus Hydreigon, begin!" The ref shouted.

"This kid's gonna be in for a rude awakening, right guys?" May asked to Eevee, who Jake had left with her, and Max.

"Yep. He won't even know what hit him, although I have to say I'm pretty impressed that he was able to get a Hydreigon. Based on what I've heard Jake say, they are very hard to raise."

"Vui." Eevee agreed.

"Hydreigon, let's start out strong! Use dragon pulse!"

"Grace, wait for the attack to finish, then Dazzling Gleam!"

_What is he thinking? I know Gardevoir usually have a good special defense, but why is he not ordering her to dodge?_ Jack thought to himself.

Hydreigon opened his largest head, sending a green orb of energy shooting towards Gardevoir. Gardevoir stood there, waiting for the right moment. The orb hit its mark, causing a small explosion right on top of Gardevoir, however, it didn't seem to do a thing.

"What the hell? Why didn't that work?" Jack asked, shocked at the outcome.

"Now!" Jake shouted.

Gardevoir's eyes glowed pink, and she emitted a pink ray of light at her opponent. Not hearing his trainer order to dodge, Hydreigon hovered in place, taking the full force of the attack. The attack hit its mark, and the four times super effective attack caused massive damage.

"Alright, we can come back from this, use Crunch!"

"Counter with Ice Punch!"

Hydreigon floated over to Gardevoir, and crunched down on her neck with his two mini heads. Showing obvious signs of pain, she reared her fist back and struck him in the chest with an ice cold fist, sending him flying back, crashing into the ground in front of his trainer.

_Dang it, I have to go out strong if I want to beat this Gardevoir, no matter how high her special defense is, she won't be able to take a_ "DRACO METEOR!"

"Just wait, then use moon blast on my command!" Jake countered.

_What the hell is he thinking!? Surely he knows that even a Gardevoir can't survive the most powerful dragon type attack!_

Hydreigon's stomach started to glow, and he aimed his three heads into the sky, and emitted dozens of mini meteorites into the air. They came crashing down, with many of them hitting Gardevoir cleanly. When the smoke cleared, Gardevoir was still standing, looking unfazed by the attack.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" Jack screamed, flabbergasted that Gardevoir was unhurt. "Did you call for a protect?"

"Nope. I'll explain after I win. Now Grace!"

All of a sudden, a pink moon appeared in the sky. Gardevoir then started to glow pink, and the moon shot a pink energy wave at Hydreigon. It struck his entire body, and he collapsed, unable to withstand the powerful attack.

"Hydreigon is unable to battle, Gardevoir is the winner! The match goes to Jake Smith of Littleroot Town!"

"Hydreigon, return." Jack said, still shocked at the outcome. "Spill it. NOW."

"Alright, calm down. First, I want to congratulate you on to your Hydreigon, he's clearly been raised well. As for why dragon pulse and Draco Meteor didn't work, it's because Grace is part fairy type." Jake explained.

"Fairy type?"

"Yes. It was recently discovered, and some Pokémon were found to have been part fairy type. The type is completely immune to dragon type attacks, hence why she was unaffected. Plus they're resistant to dark type moves, so Grace was only hit neutrally by that Crunch attack. They're also super effective against dragons, as well as dark types and fighting types. That's why it only took a couple of hits to take out your Hydreigon. Four times super effective moves are really hard to survive. You should be proud of him for withstanding THREE super effective hits."

"Wow. I've never heard of the fairy type before."

"Don't worry about it. You still have a long road ahead of you. Losing to the Hoenn league victor is nothing to be ashamed of." Jake held out his hand. "Good match."

Jack shook it. "Good match."

After recalling Grace and meeting back up with May and Max, May spoke up first.

"Wow. You completely owned him. The match was in your control the entire time!"

"Yeah, well if he knew about the fairy type, it could've been a completely different match altogether. I took a gamble, and it paid off. I was lucky."

"Oh come on, don't be so modest!" May exclaimed coyly. "You won, and you only need to beat two more trainers to qualify!"

"Yeah. At the rate you're going, you'll be qualified in no time! And I'll be right there with you!"

"Speaking of which, your match is soon, right?"

"Oh shit, I got ten minutes! I won't even have time to look up my opponent!"

"What's his name? I can look him up on my Pokenav for you."

"Barry Jenkins."

"It says here that he's from here, Slateport. Here, don't drop it."

"I won't." Max replied, taking the Pokenav and looking at it while they were walking towards the stadium.

May and Jake stayed back, letting Max take the lead.

"So..." May said, trying to start up a conversation.

_Ahh fuck it. I was gonna wait until after, but with Max preoccupied, I have a chance without him interrupting_ Jake thought to himself. "So, is what Eevee told me true?"

"What do you mean?" May asked innocently.

"That you said that I'd make a good boyfriend."

"I don't know," May said, flirtatiously. _Wow. He's already making a move. Just go with the flow May, and let nature take its course._

Jake blushed at the response. _Aha! So it's true! Time to seal the deal!_ "Well, if you don't know, maybe I could sway your opinion over dinner tonight?"

"You're smooth. I'll give you that. But what about him?" She replied, pointing to Max.

"Shit. I don't know. As much as I'd hate to leave him behind, I don't really want to listen to his teasing."

"Tell you what. Let's skip the dinner, and after Max is in bed, we can go see a late night movie. That way we can have some alone time, and Max doesn't have to find out."

"Alright deal." Jake replied. _YES! YES! YES! My first date! I really hope I don't fuck this up. The last thing I need is for her to be turned off by me, right in the middle of a tournament._

Eevee looked up at his friend, a proud smirk on his face. He snuggled up to Jake, as a way of congratulating him.

"Come on, we can talk more while watching Max's battle." May said.

"Okay, but can you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't tell Max, at least not until its official. I don't think I could deal with him if something went wrong."

"Nothing will go wrong!"

"Please?"

"Okay, fine. I won't tell him."

"Tell me what?" They both looked ahead, noticing Max had turned around. "Don't tell me you two are doing anything inappropriate behind my back."

Both blushed at the comment.

"Nope, we were just talking about how we know you're gonna win this match." Jake said quickly.

"Uh-huh. Suuure. Anyways, I found out what Pokémon Barry is probably gonna use, and I have the perfect counter for it."

"Mind filling us in?" May asked.

"Wait and find out."

* * *

They arrived at the stadium, with Max hurrying off onto the field, and May, Jake, and Eevee heading into the stands.

Jake held out his hand, and May took the hint, grabbing it. They found front row seats in the relatively empty stands, since not many spectators came for the qualifiers.

May spoke first. "So, what movie do you want to see?"

"I wanna see that new action flick, Starmie Wars." Jake replied. "I've already seen the first one, and it looks even better than the first!"

"Ugh. I was thinking something more romantic, you know, a chick flick. Like Celebi, the Time Traveller. You know, the one where Celebi has to travel through time to find true love." She squealed in excitement.

"Eevee. Eev."

"You're right. Maybe we could compromise. The Snorlax Games just came out, that's supposed to be an action flick with romance in it. How about that?"

"Okay!" May conceded. She knew that was the best she was gonna get. Even after six years, she knew Jake was as stubborn as they came.

"Look, Max's match is starting." Jake said.

* * *

This is a one on one match between Max Maple of Petalburg City, and Barry Jenkins of Slateport City. Each trainer will use one Pokémon, and there is no time limit. The match will be over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. The Winner gets two points. A tie is one point each, and a loss is zero points for the loser. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yep!" Max stated.

"Yeah." Barry said blankly.

Both looked at the scoreboard, and it stopped on blue.

"Barry Jenkins, please send out your Pokémon.

"With pleasure. Tyranitar, stand by!"

The seven foot green lizard appeared, striking a fighting stance. Sand immediately started to whip up.

Shielding his eyes, the ref looked over to Max. "Would the red trainer please send out his Pokémon.

"Sandslash, I choose you!" Max shouted.

A hedgehog looking Pokémon appeared. He was a light brown color, and he had brown spikes sticking out from his back. He had two sharp claws coming from each arm. He immediately faded away into the sand.

"Damnit! Fucking Sand Veil. Oh well, I'll just have to draw him out." Barry said to himself.

"Sandslash versus Tyranitar, begin!"

"Tyranitar, start out with a stone edge! Cover the whole field!"

"Dodge it with dig!"

Tyranitar created three rings of stones around his body, and shot them all around. Although nobody could see him, both trainers knew that Sandslash had burrowed himself deep underground.

"Earthquake!" Barry commanded.

"Strike it, then go into a crush claw!"

Tyranitar reared one of his feet back preparing for an earthquake. Before he could slam it on the ground, Sandslash emerged, knocking him off balance. He immediately struck him with a glowing claw, sending Tyranitar staggering back. He then vanished into the sand again.

"Damnit! How the fuck am I gonna hit him?" Barry said, angry at his disadvantage. "Tyranitar, ice beam. Aim all over the place!"

"Dodge it! Then use brick break when you get the chance! Don't rush, take your time!" Max said calmly.

* * *

"Wow, Max has this in the bag. That Tyranitar has no chance." Jake said.

"I know it looks like it, but are you sure? That ice beam could hit Sandslash, and the super effective move will deal a lot of damage." May said.

"No. Trust me, Maverick does this all the time." He chuckled. "As long as Max has Sandslash use hit and run tactics, he'll win this for sure. He's got this in the bag."

* * *

Back on the battlefield, Tyranitar was spraying a cold beam of ice into the sand, aiming everywhere. Suddenly, Sandslash struck him with a glowing claw, dealing massive damage with the four times super effective move. Tyranitar, being completely fatigued, was on the brink of collapsing.

"Earthquake!" Barry shouted.

"Dodge, then metal claw!"

Tyranitar slammed his foot on the ground, causing a massive tremor. After the shaking died down, Barry smiled.

"I think we got him!"

All of a sudden, a glowing claw struck Tyranitar in the back, dealing massive damage. Tyranitar, unable to take any more, fainted on the spot.

"Tyranitar is unable to battle, Sandslash wins! The victory goes to Max Maple of Petalburg City!" The ref shouted.

"Tyranitar, return." Barry said, his face red with anger.

"Good job Sandslash, take a rest bud," Max said. He looked up at Barry. "That was a great match!"

"Maybe for you." Came the reply, before he walked away.

Coming down from the stands, May and Jake congratulated him.

"That was awesome. The way you battled was exactly how you should have. Using your opponents' abilities against them is a great strategy!" Jake congratulated.

"Yeah Max, that was awesome!" May exclaimed. "Who are you facing next, and when is the match?"

Max looked at his card. "Great. It's against him," he pouted, pointing at Jake. "We battle in an hour. On a side note, is there a reason why you two are holding hands?"

Realizing that they may be found out, they both let go, slight blushes on their faces.

Changing the subject, Jake turned to Max. "Don't worry, we still have two more matches after this one. If either of us loses, we still have a shot at advancing. No matter what happens, let's keep it friendly, okay?"

"Okay."

"Let's go get something to eat real quick before the match, I'm starving!" May exclaimed.

"I'm with you on that one!" Jake laughed.

"Alright then, let's go!"

The trio headed off to get a quick lunch, with the two males thinking about the upcoming match.

* * *

**So yeah, Jake made his move, and things are looking good for the young couple. I know that it might have seemed like they moved a little fast, but I think it works. After all, they did grow up together, and after six years apart, they saw each other in a different light. Moving on. Next few chapters will go back to Ash, Dawn, and Brock. It'll cover the time up until this point. Like I said before, it's gonna be a skewed timeline. About the whole team rocket ordeal, it literally popped into my head when I was writing this, and I feel like it explained Jake's personality whenever he uses Blazer. Plus I needed to explain why Blazer no longer stays outside of his ball, since I mentioned it last chapter. One last thing, by the time this is uploaded, I'll more likely than not have chapter nine done, so that'll be up tomorrow. Starting next week, I have baseball workouts Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, all throughout the winter, so I may or may not have to slow down with the updates. I don't know. Anyways, thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think! I'm still accepting OCs, but time is running out!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Yes, the Snorlax Games. You get an internet cookie if you get the reference. Starmie Wars is pretty obvious, I think. This chapter focuses on Ash and co. Enjoy!**

* * *

"I'm starving!" Ash exclaimed as they were walking inside.

"Hold your Rapidashes. The food's not going anywhere." Dawn said.

A waitress showed them to a table, and took their drink orders.

"So, do y'all wanna just call it a night after dinner, or what?" Asked Dawn.

"I was planning on getting a little training done before I call it a night. I want to make sure that everyone is good to go before tomorrow, since I probably won't have time in the morning." Ash replied.

"Ugh. I was hoping we could do something together." Dawn sighed.

"You could be my sparring partner." Ash suggested.

Dawn, realizing that there was no better option, conceded. "Sure! I'd love to!" _Man, I wish he would do something that I want to do. Like go see that new chick flick, Celebi the Time Traveller! I know! Tomorrow I'll wear my new outfit! He seemed to like it yesterday! That'll get his attention, but before that, at least we'll be sleeping in the same bed!_

"Uh, Dawn, your face is red again." Ash said, snapping Dawn back to her senses.

"Oh, no need to worry! I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what? Or more importantly, **who**?" Brock asked, smirking knowingly.

"Nobody! I wasn't thinking about Ash!" Immediately after saying this, Dawn covered her mouth, her face beet red.

"What? Why were you thinking about me?" Ash asked, cluelessly.

_Jeez, he has it bad!_ Brock thought to himself. _Alright, I'm gonna have to intervene. He may not realize it yet, but based on what dawn told me about earlier, he's developed feelings for Dawn. It'll just take some outside help before he realizes it. I hope Dawn doesn't mind though._

(_Why is he so damn __**dense**__!? He's denser than lead. I made a slip up, and he's absolutely __**clueless**__! I didn't want to have to do this, but I'm probably gonna have to get Brock involved. I hope he doesn't mind_ she glanced over at Brock, who seemed to be deep in thought. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Brock, snapping back to his senses, nodded. "We'll be right back Ash, Dawn needs to talk to me about something."

"But—"

"Alone."

"Okay. Just hurry up please. I don't want to have to keep the waitress waiting."

"Will do." Brock turned to Dawn. "Let's go."

"I wonder what that was about," Ash said to Pikachu. "They just got up and left, all after I asked why Dawn was thinking about me. Did I do something wrong?"

"Pika," Pikachu replied, rolling his eyes.

"And why was Dawn's face so red? Is she sick or something and that's why Brock wanted to talk to her?"  
"Pika. Pikachu pikapi. Chu pika."

"What do you mean Dawn likes me? I like her too! I mean, she is my best friend after all!"

Pikachu was on the verge of slapping Ash right then and there. He was tired of his trainer's denseness, and after watching two potential girlfriends slip away, he didn't want to see Ash miss out on a third.

"Pika!" He said mischievously, a plan forming in his head.

"What was that?"

"Pika," he replied innocently.

* * *

"I don't get it Brock, how can he be so dense? I practically blurted out that I liked him, and he thought nothing of it! He's so clueless!"

"Well, this is Ash we are talking about, so it's no surprise."

"What do you mean?"

"This isn't the first time this has happened. Misty was first. Although he was only ten at the time, she made it pretty clear that she liked him as more than a friend. Ash being Ash, he completely overlooked it."

"Wow. I'm guessing May was the other?"

"Yep. Ash was older than when he met May, and so I thought that maybe he would've caught a clue. I don't know, maybe he grew out of it a little bit, but not by much. In all honesty, I seriously thought that she would have gotten through that thick skull of his. But no such luck. I honestly think she made it even more obvious than Misty, but it didn't matter in the end. We went our separate ways, and the last we saw her was the Wallace Cup. Speaking of which, I'd assume Max, her little brother, is entering the tournament, so maybe we'll meet back up with them in Driftveil City. Back on topic though, it's obvious you like him, and I don't want to see him break a third girl's heart by simply being oblivious. So that's why I'm offering to help you get with Ash. It's obvious that with some outside help, he'll finally realize that he has feelings for you."

"Wow. You know, I was gonna ask you for some help, Brock, but it seems like you read my mind. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"Trust me. They don't call me the love doctor for nothing."

Dawn rolled her eyes at the comment. "Which is why you've been rejected by every girl you've fallen for."

"Hey! Come on!"

She smiled, knowing that she had found his weak point. "Alright, what do you have in store?"

"Well first, since you mentioned that he was practically speechless when you showed him your new outfit, we can start there. Just start wearing it from now on. That **should** get him thinking, and make things easier for us."

"I was thinking the same thing! What else do you have planned?"

The two conversed for another ten minutes, and when Brock told Dawn what he had planned, she agreed without any hesitation.

"You know, this may actually work!" She exclaimed.

"I hope so, otherwise he's a lost cause." Brock said.

"I don't even want to think about that."

The two walked back inside, to see Ash looking bored as ever.

"What took you two so long, I mean I know that Dawn might've been sick, but couldn't you have at least let me help?"

_Oh jeez. He thought I was sick? Arceus, please help him. At least by the time this tournament is over, Brock will have helped me pair up with him. Until then, it's gonna be a long road._ Dawn thought to herself.

She looked up, and noticed that the waitress had returned switch their drinks.

"Sorry about the delay, there was a hold up in the kitchen. Are you ready to order?"

"No need to worry!" Dawn said. "And I think we're ready."

The trio ordered their food, and the waitress left.

"So, Ash, who are you gonna train with tonight? I was thinking of using either Mamoswine or Whimsicott."

"Definitely Scrafty. He always performs well after a good warm up. Garchomp already battled today, so I think he's ready. I don't want to hurt either of your Pokémon, so Typhlosion is out of the picture. So that leaves Pikachu, Crawdaunt, and Gigalith."

"How about Scrafty versus Whimsicott, and Crawdaunt versus Mamoswine?" Dawn suggested.

"Sounds good."

"After that though do you wanna see a movie or something? You know, to wind down after training. I heard that Celebi the Time Traveller is out. It looks really good based on what I've seen of the previews."

"Aww, a chick flick? I wanna see the new Starmie Wars. You know, something with action and not that lovey dovey stuff."

_Wow. I'm surprised he even knows what a chick flick is. Brock was right. He really is starting to grow out of his denseness. It'll just take a little push._ Dawn thought to herself.

"How about you two compromise?" Brock suggested.

"What do you mean you two? Aren't you coming Brock?" Ash asked.

"No, sorry, I have things to do. Maybe next time. But I heard that the new Snorlax Games is out. It's got both action and romance in it."

Ash turned towards Dawn. "I don't see why not. You up for that?"

"Yes!" She squealed. _Thank you Brock!_ she said mentally.

"Hey, our food's here!" Ash exclaimed.

Sure enough, there food had arrived amidst the excitement.

"Let's eat!"

* * *

"You ready Dawn?" Ash asked. "Even though this is just a practice match, I'm not gonna go easy on you!"

"I wouldn't want you to. Where's the challenge in that?" Dawn replied.

"Alright, Crawdaunt, I choose you!"

Ash yelled, throwing out a poke ball. A lobster looking Pokémon appeared. He was mainly red, with a cream underbelly. He stood on two feet, and had tiny arms coming out of his stomach. He held his two large pincers up menacingly, and atop his head was a yellow star.

"Mamoswine, spotlight!" Dawn called, throwing her poke ball. A massive brown Pokémon appeared. He had four thick legs, and two large tusks coming out from each side of his face, which was a combination of blue and white.

"Ladies first," Ash said tauntingly.

"Alright, let's start out with Ice Armor!"

"Dragon Dance, now!"

Mamoswine began by forming an ice shard in his mouth. But instead of shooting it at Crawdaunt, he swallowed it, and icicle formed on his back, giving off the appearance of spikes.

Meanwhile, Crawdaunt started dancing around frantically, with a red and black energy surrounding him.

"Crab hammer!" Ash shouted.

"Counter with hidden power!"

Crawdaunt, using his newfound speed, rushed up to Mamoswine, preparing to strike him. However, Mamoswine was prepared, and an electric energy surrounded him. When Crawdaunt struck, his claw smashed through the energy surrounding the Twin Tusk Pokémon, and broke through the ice armor. Crawdaunt wasn't unscathed though, as his body started to spark from contact with the electric type hidden power.

"We can come back from this! Use Ancient Power!" Dawn shouted.

"Break through it with Rock Smash! Then grab hold of his tusks with Vice Grip!" Ash countered.

Mamoswine created a glowing ball of energy, and he released it aiming straight for the Rogue Pokémon. Just as it was about to hit, Crawdaunt smashed it into pieces with a glowing claw. He then charged ahead, using the speed he gained from the Dragon Dance to run faster. He then grabbed ahold of Mamoswine's tusks.

"Get free Mamoswine!" Dawn shouted, worried for her Pokémon's well-being.

"Now throw it!" Ash shouted, sensing a victory.

Mamoswine shook his head violently, trying to shake Crawdaunt free. Crawdaunt held, and he then threw Mamoswine, causing him to land on his back. Crawdaunt looked at his trainer eagerly, waiting for the finishing command.

"Alright I think that's good enough." Ash said.

"What?"

"Look, it's obvious that Mamoswine can't take much more, and I don't want to hurt him. Besides. It's just a training match, and I'm not trying to hurt your Pokémon. Come on. Let's start the Scrafty versus Whimsicott match, and then catch that movie."

"You're right, sorry." Dawn recalled Mamoswine, and threw out another. "Whimsicott, spotlight!"

A brown Pokémon appeared. Her most noticeable feature was the cotton that came out of her head, giving off the appearance of hair that covered his entire back. She had green ears that curled. And pupil-less orange eyes.

"Crawdaunt, good job, come back. Go Scrafty!"

An orange Pokémon with a dark red Mohawk appeared. His mouth appeared to be in a never ending frown, and he had loose skin that resembled a hoodie on his neck. His tail and legs were covered by the same baggy skin.

"Since you won the first round, you can go first!" Dawn said.

"Okay then, let's start out with a headbutt!" Ash commanded.

"Slow him down with a Cotton Spore!" Dawn countered. "Follow with razor leaf!"

Scrafty charged towards Whimsicott, head lowered. Whimsicott shot dozens of balls of sticky cotton on the ground on Scrafty's path, causing him to slow into a snail's pace. She then shot dozens of razor sharp leaves at Scrafty, causing small cuts to form on his skin.

"Alright, try to use your shed skin ability to get out of there, then use crunch!" Ash shouted.

"Don't let him! Use charm, followed by Giga Drain!"

Scrafty's outer skin started to fall off, and was immediately replaced, allowing him to get free from the Cotton Spore. He then charged towards Whimsicott, preparing to crunch down on her. She retaliated by moving around cutely, causing him to drop his guard. Immediately. Afterward, Whimsicott's eyes glowed, and green tendrils grabbed Scrafty, draining his energy.

"Checkmate!" Dawn exclaimed.

""Alright, you win. Scrafty return!" Ash conceded.

"Good job, Whimsicott! Take a rest!" Dawn said, recalling her Pokémon. She looked up at Ash. "We better get going. The movie starts in less than an hour."

"Right."

* * *

"Two tickets for Snorlax Games please." Ash said.

"Certainly, it's the fourth theater on your left."

"Thanks."

The duo walked to get popcorn, but noticed the line was long.

"Hey Dawn, I'll wait in line, while you go find us some seats, okay?"

"Sounds good!" She replied.

Dawn walked off, heading into the theater. _I can't wait! Brock's plan is going well so far! Time to go into phase two!_ she mentally cheered. She found two seats, and ten minutes later, Ash and Pikachu walked in, holing two drinks and a large popcorn. As he sat down next to Dawn, he spoke up.

"I got you a Pecha berry soda, I hope you don't mind!"

"No! Not at all. Now shut up, the previews are about to start."

About halfway during the movie, during a scary part, Dawn, to Ash's surprise, clenched onto his arm. Even when that particular scene had ended, she still clung on to him.

_There's that feeling again. I wish I knew what it is. First when Dawn showed me her new outfit, and now when she's clinging on to my arm. I don't mind it, actually I kind of like it. I just wish I knew what it is._ Ash thought to himself. He looked over at Dawn, whose eyes were glued to the screen. _I wonder if she has that weird feeling too. I don't know, maybe Brock will know._

The two stayed like that for the rest of the movie, Dawn holding on to Ash's arm, and Ash, surprisingly, moved instinctively closer.

"Wow! That movie was great!" Dawn exclaimed. They were exiting the theater, and she had settled to holding Ash's hand.

"Yeah. It wasn't bad." Ash replied. _I wonder why Dawn is still holding my hand. Oh well. I don't mind. So I won't say anything._

"Oh come on, admit it, you had fun."

"Okay, you got me, it was pretty fun. Come on, let's get back to the hotel."

The two walked back, and after about fifteen minutes of walking, they finally got to their room. As they opened the door, they heard snoring.

"It sounds like Brock is asleep, so let's keep it down." Ash whispered.

"Okay," she replied.

The two walked in, with Dawn heading over to the bathroom to get ready to change first. Ash, on the other hand, went over to the bed and plopped down.

"Man. What a day!" He said, looking over at his faithful companion.

"Pika. Pikachu pikapi."

"Yeah. Listen. Tomorrow, I wanna talk to you alone. I don't know how long Dawn will be in there, and I don't want her to hear what I want to say to you, so you think you can wake me up early?"  
Pikachu nodded in reply.

"That aside, are you ready for tomorrow? We got a big day ahead of us. We win three matches in the qualifiers, we go to the prelims!"

"Pipikachu! Pikachu replied, just as excited as Ash.

Dawn walked out of the bathroom. "Hey Ash, I'm done in there. You can use it now."

Ash looked up. He saw dawn wearing an oversized t-shirt, and short shorts, before she climbed under the covers.

"Alright. Be right back. Don't hog the covers please. There's plenty of room."

Dawn giggled. "No need to worry!"

Ash walked into the bathroom, and five minutes later he had changed into his black t-shirt and boxers.

_Man, I can't help but feel a little awkward about sleeping with Dawn. Thank god the lights are out. I don't think I could deal with her seeing me in my boxers._ Ash thought to himself. He then climbed into bed.

"Hey Dawn?"

"Yeah Ash?" She replied, wondering what he was going to say.

"I just wanted to thank you."

"What do you mean?"

"I had a really great time, and I enjoyed going to the movies with you."

"No problem Ash." She replied. "Good night."

"Night Dawn."

Ash was lying on his back, while Dawn was on her stomach, facing towards Ash. _He's so cute when he sleeps. It __**was**__ fun going to the movies. Even though he didn't know what was going on when I was clinging to him, the fact that afterwards he didn't seem to mind me holding his hand means that I might actually have a shot with him._

At that, she drifted off to sleep, hearing the sounds of light snoring right next to her.

Unbeknownst to them, however, a yellow rodent was ready to put his plan into action. He waited to make sure that the two teens were asleep, and then pulled each of their hands out, intertwining their fingers. He chuckled to himself, waiting to see the looks on their faces when they woke up. He then quickly succumbed to his tiredness, drifting off to dreamland.

* * *

**It's a bit shorter than the last two chapters, but I think it works. I didn't really want to drag it on for too long, because then it gets boring. That aside, I've decided to go with the dense version of Ash (the one where he's almost completely clueless about love). Why? Because this version of Ash is more fun to write about than an Ash that isn't clueless. He and Dawn definitely aren't going to be moving as fast as Jake and May. Next chapter will start the tournament for the trio. After that, it's all up in the air. Please R&R!**


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 everybody! Enjoy.**

* * *

Brock was the first to awaken. When he got up, the first thing he heard was light snoring coming from Ash. When he looked over, he smiled at what he saw.

On the other bed, Ash was asleep lying on his back, with his arms by his side. Next to him, Dawn was cuddled up to him, probably from moving in her sleep.

_I wonder what Ash will think of this when he wakes up._ Brock thought to himself. He looked over at the clock, which read 8:15. _I'm gonna go get some breakfast in the lobby. I'll just let these two sleep in some._

At that, he walked out and closed the door, which had the unexpected consequence of waking Ash up.

Ash looked over, and was taken aback at what he saw. Dawn was cuddling up to his arm, still fast asleep. His cheeks immediately started turning red. _There's that feeling again. Man it always seems to happen around Dawn. I really wish I knew what it means._ Realizing that he wouldn't be able to move without waking Dawn, he sighed. _I can't move without waking Dawn up, I know! I can look up some of my opponents for today. Although I don't know who I'll be facing yet, I can still size up the competition!_ He looked over, and saw his Pokenav on the bedside table. He used his free arm to try and grab it, but it was just out of reach. _Damnit. Wait, I'll just get Pikachu to grab it for me!_ He looked over at his sleeping partner, and used his foot to nudge him awake, which caused him to stir.

"Chaaa!" He yawned. He looked over at Ash, and smiled at seeing Dawn cuddling up to him like that.

"Hey buddy, have a nice sleep?" Ash whispered.

Pikachu nodded.

"Can you be a pal and grab my Pokenav for me please. I don't want to wake Dawn up, and I want to see the competition for today."

Pikachu nodded, and went over to the bedside table, and grabbed the Pokenav. He walked over and placed it in Ash's outstretched hand.

"Thanks buddy, you're the best!"

"Pika!" He cooed back, curling back up to ago back to sleep.

"Hmm. Let's see..."

For the next ten minutes, Ash looked up various people, all potential opponents from the Kanto region.

_Hey I know! I'll see if Max is entering too!_ At that, he scanned through various trainers from Hoenn, and he stopped on a particular name. _Jake Smith. Says here that he's won the Hoenn league twice. His starter was a Torchic from Professor Birch. Hmm. Just like May. Placed top eight in Johto and Kanto. Top four in Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. Kalos, I definitely got to go there after the tournament. I've heard that there's a lot of cool Pokémon out there. And something called Mega Evolution? What is that? Anyways, this guy seems to know what he's doing. I'd definitely like to battle him._ Ash ranted mentally. He continued scrolling, until he found Max. _Aha! So he is entering! Maybe we can battle, just like I promised him all those years ago! I would definitely like to see what Pokémon he has—_

Dawn started to stir, causing Ash to lose his train of thought. He looked over, just as she opened her eyes. As soon as she realized what was going on, she started to blush furiously. "Sorry about that Ash!" She said, clearly embarrassed. "I guess I must've rolled over in my sleep or something."

"No need to worry Dawn, I don't mind. It was actually kind of nice," Ash replied, not knowing what he implied.

_Am I losing my mind?_ Dawn thought to herself. _I could've sworn I just heard him say that it was __**nice**__. Maybe he really is turning over a new leaf_. She got up, and started to go into the bathroom to get ready for the morning. "Thanks for not waking me up." She said, before walking into the bathroom.

"Don't mention it," Ash replied, not realizing his face was beet red.

Upon seeing this, Pikachu started having a fit of laughter.

"What?"

"Pika. Pika pikapi."

"What do you mean my cheeks are rivaling yours in color?"

"Pika."

"Oh, what-ever."

Thirty minutes later, Dawn came out, wearing her new outfit. Once again, Ash was speechless.

_She really does look good in that. And once again, I have that feeling in my chest. I hope I'm not getting sick_.

"How do I look?" Dawn asked flirtatiously, doing a little spin.

"Great!" Ash said, face turning red. "Now come on, I'm starving!"

_At least he complimented me, if only for a second. And he __**blushed**__! This is progress! Brock was right! Maybe he isn't as dense as we originally thought_.

"You coming?" Ash asked, snapping Dawn back to her senses.

"Right behind ya!"

Ash and Dawn headed down to the cafeteria to eat breakfast, and bumped into Brock on the way.

"Hey Brock, when did you get up?" Asked Ash.

"About 8:15. I saw you two still asleep, so I decided to get something to eat before you decided to eat everything," he replied, casting a knowing glance towards Dawn.

"Oh come on. I don't eat THAT much," Ash said.

"Yeah you do." Dawn said quickly.

"Alright, I'll meet up with you guys at the stadium. I wanna get a head start on reading up on my opponents." Brock said.

"See ya then!" The other two said.

* * *

"Come on Ash, you're gonna be late!" Dawn called.

"Can you please let me finish getting dressed? I don't wanna walk out in my boxers in public!"

Dawn blushed at the comment. "Alright, but we gotta be at the stadium in twenty minutes!"

Two minutes later, Ash opened the bathroom door, ready to go.

"Come on Pikachu," he said, holding out his hand so his friend could climb aboard.

"Let's go!" Ash exclaimed.

* * *

"Registration card please." The lady behind the desk said.

Ash handed her his card.

"You're in group P. good luck!" She said handing him back his card.

He turned to where Brock was, who was busy scrolling through stuff on a computer. "What group are you in?"

"I'm in group E. my first match is in fifteen minutes," he said, looking up.

"Cool. Mine's in half an hour, so there should be plenty of time for me to see yours. Do you know who you're gonna use?"

"Yep. Based on what I've read, I'm fairly certain that she's gonna use what I think she'll use."

"Mind filling us in?" Dawn asked.

"Oh come on, where's the fun in that?" he asked, before running off.

"Ugh. I hate waiting." She replied. She then turned to Ash. "So, who are you facing?"

"Some guy called Styles Kaizu. Says here his starter is a Glaceon. Keeps to himself and it says his parents were killed by Team Rocket. Dang, I really feel bad for him."

"Yeah, I never knew Team Rocket got **that** violent." Replied Dawn. "What do you think he'll use?"

"I doubt he'd use Glaceon in his first match. Gyarados would be at a disadvantage because of the lack of water. Hmm. I think I've got it."

"Let me see." Dawn said.

"Here." He handed her his Pokenav, which was stopped on a particular Pokémon.

"I'd bet my lunch that he's gonna use this guy," he said.

"That's a pretty bold statement for you, but I think you're right. Come on, Brock's match is about to start."

Ash and Dawn had gotten there just as the referee was making the pre battle statements.

"This is a one on one match between Brock Harrison of Pewter City, and Laura Jennings of Vermilion City. Each trainer is allowed one Pokémon, and the match is over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. The winner gets two points, a draw is one point apiece, and the loser gets none. The scoreboard will determine who will select their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes."

"Yep!"

They looked at the scoreboard, and saw that it landed on the green trainer, which was Brock.

"Would the green trainer please send out his Pokémon?"

"Crobat, come on out!"

A purple bat-like Pokémon appeared. He had two long, thin wings near the front of his body, and two slightly smaller, yet similar looking wings where his feet would have been. His face carried a never ending frown.

"Would the red trainer please send out her Pokémon?

"Accelgor, let's go!"

A gray Pokémon with a pink head emerged. She seemed to have cloth wrapped around her body, which ended in two streamers that flowed behind her body. Her head had a black star shape on it, and a menacing look on her face.

"Accelgor versus Crobat, begin!"

"Accelgor, let's start out with Agility!"

"Crobat, chase it with Pursuit!"

Accelgor started to move swiftly, getting faster by the second. However, Crobat was right on her tail by using Pursuit. He eventually caught up, striking Accelgor in the back.

"Use Quick Attack!"

"Stop it with Heat Wave!"

Accelgor shot towards Crobat, borderline invisible. Crobat started flapping his wings, causing the temperature of the air to rise drastically. Accelgor, being weak to fire type attacks, crashed into the ground, fainting on impact.

"Accelgor is unable to battle, Crobat is the winner! The match goes to Brock Harrison!"

"Great job Crobat, take a rest."

"You too, Accelgor." Laura looked up at Brock. "That was a great match!" She said, before walking away.

"Wow Brock! It looks like you still got it!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Yeah, well what do you expect from a former gym leader?"

"Nothing less." Ash replied. "Come on. My match starts in ten minutes."

Ash headed over to the other battlefield, with Dawn and Brock going into the stands.

"So Dawn, how'd you sleep last night?" Brock asked, smirking.

Dawn blushed. "It was fine. I guess I must've rolled over in my sleep or something. But when I apologized, guess what he said to me?"

"What?"

"He said it was **nice**. I don't think he knew what he was implying by that, but that's progress. Right?"

"You know, he may not be as dense as I originally thought. It'll just take a little push to get the ball rolling. Just remember what I told you last night, and you should be fine."

"Alright. Hey, his match is starting," Dawn said, turning towards the field.

"This will be a one on one match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Styles Kaizu of Lavender Town. Each trainer is allowed one Pokémon, and the match is over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. A win is two points, a tie is one each, and a loss is zero points. The scoreboard will determine randomly who chooses their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?

"You betcha!" Ash said excitedly.

Styles nodded in response. He was about average height, with an athletic build. He wore black van slip ons, white skinny jeans, and wore a black jacket with white cuffs. His mouth was covered with a bandana, and he wore his hood over his head, covering most of his shaggy silver hair. On his face was an x shaped scar on his left cheek.

They both looked at the scoreboard, and it landed on red, which was Styles.

"Would the red trainer please send out his Pokémon?

"Go, Rhyperior!" A bulky orange and grey Rock and Ground type appeared with a menacing look on his face.

"Just as I thought. Scrafty, let's go!" Ash shouted.

"Scrafty versus Rhyperior. Begin!"

"Scrafty, let's start out with a Zen Headbutt!"

"Rock Polish, then get out of the way!"

Scrafty charged towards Rhyperior, his head lowered and glowing blue. Rhyperior slammed his fists together, causing his body to glow white. He then easily sidestepped the attack with his newfound speed.

"Earth Power!"

"Scrafty, you gotta dodge that!"

Rhyperior slammed his fists into the ground, causing the ground to split and a yellow energy came out. Scrafty tried to dodge, but he was too slow, and took damage from the attack.

"We can come back from this!" Ash shouted. "Bulk up, followed by Drain Punch!"

"Keep it back with Rock Blast!"

Scrafty took a deep breath, tensing his muscles. He then charged towards Rhyperior, preparing to strike. Rhyperior held out one of his hands, and started shooting rocks at Scrafty. Many of them hit their mark, but Scrafty powered through the not very effective attack and slammed his glowing fist into Rhyperior, draining his energy. This seemed to allow Scrafty to gain a good portion of his energy back.

"Now use Crunch!"

"Protect, followed by Iron head!"

Scrafty then tried to crunch down on his opponent, but hit his head on a protective barrier. Rhyperior then slammed his head, gleaming like metal, into Scrafty's stomach, causing him to fly back.

"Scrafty, use Scary Face, followed by Payback!

Scrafty complied, making a scary face at Rhyperior, canceling out the earlier Rock Polish. He then started to glow with a black energy, which rushed towards Rhyperior, dealing double the normal damage.

_Damn, this guy is good. Scrafty can't take much more of this. I can't risk high jump kick, because if it misses, Scrafty is cannon fodder_.

"Use Low Kick!"

"Block him in with Rock Tomb! Follow up with Megahorn!"

Scrafty charged towards Rhyperior, preparing to deal a devastating blow, but was suddenly trapped inside of a wall of rocks. Unable to move, he could only helplessly watch as Rhyperior dealt the finishing blow with his glowing horn. Scrafty flew back, crashing in front of his trainer, out cold.

"Scrafty is unable to battle, Rhyperior wins and the match goes to Styles Kaizu!"

"Great job Scrafty, take a nice long rest." Ash said. He then looked up at Styles, who was congratulating his Pokémon, recalling him on the process. "That was a great match!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah, it was." Styles replied, before walking away.

"Wait a second," Ash said.

Styles stopped, turning around. "What?"

"I'm sorry about your parents. Even though it hasn't been to that extent, I've had my fair share of Team Rocket encounters. However, you can't expect everyone to act the way they do. I just want you to know that."

"I'll keep that in mind," Styles said blankly, before walking away.

"That was a great battle! Too bad you lost though," Dawn said.

"Don't worry, I still have three more matches today. I just need to win all of them and I'm in!" Ash replied enthusiastically.

"Who are you facing next?" Brock asked.

"Some kid named Al Price." Ash replied, typing the name into his Pokenav. "Ah. I know who I'm gonna use. My next match is in ten minutes."

"Sorry Ash, my next three matches are right after each other, so I won't be able to see yours." Brock said.

"Don't worry about it. I understand. I'll catch up with you later then." Ash replied.

"I think I'll stay and watch Ash," Dawn said.

"Alright then, I'll see you two later," Brock said before running off.

* * *

"This will be a one on one match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Al price of Four Island. Each trainer is allowed one Pokémon, and the match is over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. A win is two points, a tie is one each, and a loss is zero points. The scoreboard will determine randomly who chooses their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?"

Both trainers nodded. They both looked at the scoreboard, and it landed on red, who happened to be Al.

"Would the red trainer please send out his Pokémon?"

"Charizard, go!"

An orange dragon-like Pokémon appeared. She had a cream under belly, and large wings, the underside of which were blue. At the end of her tail was a never ending flame.

Would the blue trainer please send out his Pokémon?"

"Just as expected. Crawdaunt, I choose you!"

The Rogue Pokémon appeared, ready to battle.

"Charizard versus Crawdaunt, begin!"

"Let's start out with Air Slash!" Al shouted.

"Dodge with Dragon Dance!" Ash countered.

Charizard flapped her wings swiftly, sending three blades of air at Crawdaunt, who was dancing out of the way frantically surrounded by a red and black energy.

"Now Bubblebeam!"

"Pop those bubbles with Dragon Claw!"

Crawdaunt opened his claws, and fired a rapid beam of multi colored bubbles at Charizard, who did her best to fend them off, popping many of them with her glowing claws. However, many bubbles still hit their mark, causing massive damage.

"Get in there close with a Brick Break!" Al shouted.

"Counter with Crabhammer!"

Charizard flew over to Crawdaunt, her claws glowing white, and lashed out, only to be met with her opponent's own glowing claw. Unexpectedly, Crawdaunt then used his one free claw to strike Charizard square in the chest, sending her flying back.

"Charizard, Flamethrower!"

"Bubblebeam now!"

Charizard opened her jaw, and let loose a massive jet of flames. It was met in the middle of the field by a stream of bubbles, which caused a small explosion, dealing damage to both Pokémon.

"Finish with another Bubblebeam!" Ash shouted, sensing a victory.

That was all it took, Charizard was trying to recover from the previous attack, and was hit by the new one, which dealt massive damage, causing her to collapse in exhaustion.

"Charizard is unable to battle, Crawdaunt is the winner and the match goes to Ash Ketchum!"

"Great job Crawdaunt! Take a nice rest." Ash said, recalling his Pokémon.

"You too." Al said. He walked up to Ash and held out his hand. "Great match."

"Great match." Ash replied, shaking his hand.

The two walked their separate ways, with Ash meeting up with Dawn.

"Great job Ash! Only two more wins to go and you're in!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Yep! I hope Brock won his matches. I got another one in half an hour against a girl named Jessica Lawrence."

"What do you wanna do until then?"

"I just wanna relax. I've already figured out who I'm gonna use, and I'm pooped from two battles in one hour."

"Well, we can't go back to the room, because by the time we got there we'd have to leave again." Dawn stated.

"Nah, I'm just gonna go on the bleachers and lie down for a bit. You can keep me company if you want."

"Sure, seeing that I have nothing better to do."

"You could go watch Brock's matches." Ash suggested, finding a comfy spot and lying down.

"Nah, by the time I find him, they'll probably be over." Dawn replied, taking a seat next to Ash.

"Suit yourself. I'm gonna try and take a quick nap. Could you wake me up in twenty minutes please?" Ash asked, pulling the brim of his cap down.

"Alright," she sighed. _I was hoping we could do something together, but I guess two battles in a row is a somewhat daunting task._ She looked up into the sky.

_I just wish I could talk to someone about all this. I mean Brock is great and all, but I'd just like to have some girl talk. Maybe in Driftveil, May and Max will be there. It would be great to see her again, and I'm sure she'd listen to what I have to say. That would definitely take a load off my chest. S_he continued sitting there, thinking up various scenarios of where Ash professed his undying love for her over and over. So much that she almost forgot to wake up Ash.

* * *

"This will be a one on one match between Jessica Lawrence of Saffron City, and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Each trainer is allowed one Pokémon, and the match is over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. A win is two points, a tie is one each, and a loss is zero points. The scoreboard will determine randomly who chooses their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes!" Jennifer exclaimed.

"Ash nodded in response, feeling refreshed after his nap.

The scoreboard landed on green, who happened to be Ash.

"Please send out your Pokémon," the ref said, looking at Ash.

"You ready, bud? Time to get in there!" He said, looking at Pikachu.

"Pika!" Came the reply, his cheeks sparking in anticipation.

"Would the red trainer please send out her Pokémon."

"Jigglypuff, let's do this!"

A small, round, pink Pokémon appeared. She had a little tuft of fur on her forehead.

"Jigglypuff versus, Pikachu, begin!"

_Wow. I would've expected her to at least go with an __**evolved**__ Pokémon. I guess she underestimated the fact that Pikachu's just a Pikachu. No matter. As long as I can avoid Sing, this should be a fairly short battle_. Ash thought to himself.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"

"Wait for it, then use Doubleslap!"

Pikachu shot forward in a streak of light, slamming his body into Jigglypuff. She quickly recovered, and started to repeatedly smack Pikachu over and over.

_Maybe I was the one to underestimate __**her**__._

"Pikachu, get away with Agility, then use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu dashed out of the way, then sent a massive bolt of electricity, dealing damage and paralyzing Jigglypuff.

"Finish with Volt Tackle!"

"Jigglypuff, you gotta move! Get out of the way!" Jessica shouted, panicking on the inside.

"Pikapikapikapikapika-PIKA!" Pikachu shouted. He started running towards the immobilized Pokémon, surrounding himself in an electric energy. He then slammed into Jigglypuff, knocking her out cold.

"Jigglypuff is unable to continue battling, Pikachu wins and Ash wins the match!"

"Great job buddy!" Ash said to his partner.

"Good job Jigglypuff," Jessica said, trying to hold back her tears. "Take a good rest." She whispered. She then walked away.

"That was a great battle Ash!" Dawn congratulated. "Even if it was against some lousy Jigglypuff."

"Oh come on," Ash defended. "Some trainers are just beginners. It's obvious that she doesn't have that many battles under her belt. She looked like she was ten. She probably just started out this year, and entered the tournament for fun."

"I guess you're right. When's your next match?"

"My next and last match for the day is in fifteen minutes. It looks like another beginner. Between him, Jessica, and Styles's talent, I think Styles and I be the two moving on in this group."

"Okay, do you know who you're gonna use?"

"Yep. I just need to make a quick call to Professor Oak's lab, then I can get my new team member."

"Who's it gonna be?"

"You'll see. Come on, I don't want to be late."

* * *

"This will be a one on one match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Ben Lloyd of Lavender Town. Each trainer is allowed one Pokémon, and the match is over when either side's Pokémon is unable to battle. A win is two points, a tie is one each, and a loss is zero points. The scoreboard will determine randomly who chooses their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?"

Both Trainers nodded.

The scoreboard landed on green, who was Ben.

The ref nodded over in Ben's direction, signaling him to call out his Pokémon.

"Venusaur, let's get ready to rumble!"

A massive green quadruped appeared. The most noticeable thing about him was a massive flower that covered his entire back.

"Would the red trainer please send out his Pokémon."

"Just as expected. Staraptor, let's go!"

A bird Pokémon emerged, immediately taking flight. His body was mainly gray, with a zig zag pattern on his chest. He had a gray crest with a red tip on the top of his head.

"Staraptor versus Venusaur, begin!"

"Staraptor, Aerial Ace!"

"Block it with Vine Whip, then use Sludge Bomb!"

Staraptor climbed, before diving straight at Venusaur, surrounded by white streaks of air. He then disappeared right before hitting Venusaur, appearing behind him, causing a good bit of damage. Venusaur retaliated by grabbing him with his vines, then spitting a glob of poisonous goo at the immobilized bird.

"Staraptor, break free with Close Combat!"

"You can take it Venusaur! Razor leaf!"

Staraptor immediately lashed out over and over, trying to get free of the vines. While doing this, Venusaur shot dozens of razor sharp leaves, causing small cuts to form on Staraptor's skin. He was finally able to break free, albeit coming off worse from the assault.

"Get some distance, then use Air Slash!"

Block it with your Vine Whip!"

_Damn, this kid is better than I thought!_ Ash scolded himself mentally. _Staraptor is getting tired, I just have to gain some distance and allow him to roost. Finding the opportunity is going to be a problem though._

Staraptor backed up, leaving a significant distance between the two, then sent several blades of air straight at his opponent. Venusaur tried to block them with his vines, but instead ended up hurting himself. The super effective attack caused massive damage, and Venusaur started panting heavily.

"Roost, and wait until I give the signal!"

"Prepare your most powerful leaf storm! Hit him when he's vulnerable!"

Staraptor landed, glad to be able to regain his energy, still alert. Meanwhile, Venusaur's flower started to glow, and a few seconds later he let loose thousands of leaves aimed at the defenseless flying type.

"Dodge with Fly, then go into Brave Bird!"

Staraptor reacted quicker than Ben had expected, and rapidly gained altitude. He then dove down, covering himself in blue flames, leveling out just before he hit the ground. He then slammed into Venusaur, causing a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, Venusaur was fainted in front of a heavily panting Staraptor.

"Venusaur is unable to battle, Staraptor wins and the match goes to Ash of Pallet Town!"

"Great job! You deserve a rest, use Roost, and let me know when you're good to go!" Ash instructed. He turned to Ben. "I underestimated you, great match!"

"Great match," he said, recalling his Venusaur.

"That was awesome!" Dawn exclaimed. "That last Brave Bird was incredible!" She said, turning to Staraptor. He smiled in response, looking less worn out by the second.

"Yep! I'm in the qualifiers!" Ash exclaimed, striking a pose, with Pikachu and Staraptor joining in. "I guess you're feeling better?" He asked his bird.

"Staraptor!"

"Alright, return! You deserve the rest."

"So what are you gonna do now?" Asked Dawn.

"Well, first I wanna find Brock and see how he did. Then I wanna relax for the rest of the day. Tomorrow I'm gonna train, since I get the day off."

"Sounds good. Let's go find Brock!" Dawn exclaimed.

"So I'm in, how did you do?" Ash asked Brock.

"I qualified. Swampert and Steelix really pulled their weight. They deserve to have the day off tomorrow." Brock replied.

"Speaking of which, what are **you **gonna do tomorrow?" Asked Dawn. "Typical Ash over here said he's gonna spend the day training."

"I don't know, I'll think of something." He replied.

"I know what I'm gonna do **now**!" Ash exclaimed.

"What?" The other two asked, taken aback by Ash's sudden outburst of enthusiasm.

"Eat lunch!"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "I guess we could eat. What do you say Brock, you up for a quick lunch?"

"Considering its almost five o'clock, wouldn't we be better off eating dinner?"

"Even better! After all that battling, I'm not gonna turn down a full-fledged meal!" Ash exclaimed.

"Come on guys, I know a place where participants and their guests eat for free." Brock replied.

"They might change that policy after Ash is done eating there." Dawn replied, a triumphant look on her face.

"Hey, that's not funny!"

At that, the trio headed off to eat.

* * *

**I thought that was a good place to leave off. Anyways, a bunch of battles in this chapter. This one really took a long time to write. Moving on. I hope I'm not making Dawn too clingy, especially after her little mini rant when Ash was napping. I hope the battles weren't that boring, I tried my best to keep them interesting, but five in one chapter is a lot. **

**Brock moves on! I wonder how long he'll last?**

**Styles Kaizu belongs to Saiyan Styles. I hope I got his personality and battling style right. Please tell me how I did. That being said, some other Kanto native OCs will appear soon, so stay tuned. Next chapter will go back to Jake and May, and the battle between the former and Max. As always, R&R!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Before i start the chapter, I want to ask you guys a question. I recently read over the story, and I noticed that chapter 4, the chapter that introduces Max and May, isnt as good as my other ones. If I decided to rewrite it, (keeping the main plot the same, just improving it overall) would you guys reread it? or should I just focus on continuing the story? I have a few chapters written in advance, so it shouldn't affect the once a day update schedule that I've been following. I plan on doing it anyways, when the story is done, but I feel like I left out some major details. I dont know. (just to be clear, May wears her Emerald outfit, one of the things I neglected to mention) That aside, Chapter 11 everyone!**

* * *

After eating, the trio split up, with Jake and May going one way (of course Max questioned the two) and Max going another, so the two males could prepare for the match.

"So who are you gonna use?" May asked.

"I don't know. Blazer **should** be able to handle Max's counters to him, since he might expect me to use him, but then again, he might be prepared for that. I think I'll play it safe and go with Shadow, since he doesn't have any weaknesses when I play him right."

"Knowing my little brother, I wouldn't doubt that he's preparing for that." May replied.

"I don't doubt that either. Most people prepare for Shadow, since everybody I face knows I'll use him, but they still can't predict **how** I use him. It's all about strategy."

"There you go again, acting smart, just like you used to," May giggled.

"You don't seem to mind," Jake said, smiling back at her. "I don't mean to be rude by this, but who do you want to win?"

"Well, Max **is** my little brother, and no matter how annoying he is, I still love him. But you, on the other hand, are my soon-to-be-boyfriend. That doesn't make things easy." She said, poking Jake in the stomach playfully.

"So you'll remain indifferent then?" Jake asked, trying not to laugh.

"Nah. I think I'll root for you. You seem to be the lesser of two evils."

"Thanks, that really makes me feel better." Jake replied sarcastically. "Come on, the match is gonna start soon," he said, holding his hand out.

May took it. "Want me to hold Eevee for you? It would be nice to have some company up in the stands."

"Sure. Come on let's go!"

The couple walked off, heading to the battlefield.

* * *

This will be a one on one battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Max Maple of Petalburg City. Each trainer will use one Pokémon, and the match is over when one trainer's Pokémon is unable to battle. The winner gets two points, the loser none, and a draw is one each. The scoreboard will randomly determine who goes first. Are you both ready?"

The two trainers nodded.

They looked up, and saw that Max, the red trainer, had to send out his Pokémon first.

The ref nodded over to Max, signaling him to send out his Pokémon.

"Sceptile, I choose you!"

The Forest Pokémon appeared. He was green, had a tail that looked like the leaves of a palm tree, six yellow balls on his back, and two small blades on each of his wrists.

The ref then looked over at Jake.

Please send out your Pokémon.

"Before I do that, I just want to say that no matter what happens, we should still remain friends. I had a feeling you would pick your starter, so I want to show you what I meant earlier. Shadow, engage!"

The Ninja Pokémon appeared striking a fighting stance.

Greninja versus Sceptile, begin!"

_I would've thought that he'd go with Blazer. Then again, I did suspect that he'd go with Shadow, since he's so unpredictable. No matter, I just have to outspeed him. Sceptile is second to none when it comes to that_.

"Sceptile, Quick Attack!"

"Flash Cannon!"

Sceptile immediately turned into a streak of light, and in a blink of an eye, he was upon Greninja. However, Greninja was prepared, and he fired a silver beam of energy at the oncoming attacker, his body gleaming the same color. The unexpected attack hit Sceptile, stopping him dead in his tracks.

"Brick Break!" Max yelled.

"Extrasensory!" Jake countered.

As Sceptile was about to slam his glowing fist into Greninja, he suddenly felt his body stretch, causing him to lose focus and scream out in pain. Greninja's body had turned pink, and his eyes glowed, using psychic powers to attack Sceptile.

_Damn, he's always one step ahead of me. No wonder why he said you never know what to expect with Shadow. He's completely unpredictable! Wait. He always goes for the type resistant to the move I use. Maybe I can work around that and use that to my advantage_. Another scream of pain snapped Max back into reality.

"Sceptile, get free and use Fury Cutter!"

"Mat Block, take your time, and strike back with Night Slash!"

Sceptile, with a tremendous amount of effort, finally broke free of Greninja's psychic grasp. He then started to rapidly slice at his opponent with his wrist blade glowing in a yellow energy. Greninja, turning maroon, pulled up a patch of grass, effectively blocking the attack. Waiting for the right moment, he turned black, swinging his tongue, glowing with a black energy, at his opponent, striking him when he least expected it, knocking him back a few feet.

"Ice Beam now!"

"Detect!"

Greninja's body turned ice cold, before opening his mouth and emitting a beam of ice at his opponent. Sceptile swiftly dodged it, thanks to Detect.

"Iron Tail!" Max said, a plan forming in his head.

"Water Shuriken!" Jake countered.

"Switch to Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile started by swinging his iron-hard tail at Greninja, who retaliated by sending dozens of blades of compressed water at him. Before Greninja could react, Sceptile switched to a Leaf Blade, slashing back the blades of water. He closed the distance, bringing down his glowing wrist blade on top of his opponent's head, catching both Jake and his Pokémon by surprise.

"I have to congratulate you Max." He said. "You're the first person to have figured out my strategy, and still be on your first Pokémon. However, just because you can play around the resistances doesn't mean you'll have an easy time winning."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Max said, gloating about his luck. _Man, I'm the first? It can't be that hard to figure out what he's doing, can it?_

While Max was still deep in thought, Jake ordered Shadow to use an Ice Beam. Sceptile, not hearing his trainer give him a command, took the attack head on, freezing one of his legs to the ground.

"Hey, no fair!" Max yelled, snapping back to reality.

"I told you, you have to be prepared for **everything**. You're not the first to have fallen for this trick."

"You mean others have actually figured a way around your strategy?"

"Yep. And when I tell them that they're the first, it gives them a false sense of overconfidence, which leads to them lowering their guard. Now, let's continue the battle, shall we?"

"Alright then, get yourself free with a Brick Break!" Max commanded, angered by Jake's trickery.

"Finish him off with another Ice Beam!"

Sceptile was busy freeing himself from the ice, so he didn't see the second Ice Beam hit him, causing him to fly back. Miraculously, he stood back up, glowing with a green energy, anger on his face.

"Alright, Overgrow is kicking in!" Max exclaimed. "Leaf Storm now!"

"Dodge and strike it with a Shadow Sneak!"

Sceptile let loose thousands of leaves, aimed straight at Greninja. However, he disappeared into the shadows, and reappeared behind him, striking Sceptile in the back. That proved to be the final straw, and Sceptile collapsed.

"Sceptile is unable to battle, Greninja is the winner and the match goes to Jake!"

"Shadow, you were excellent!" Jake congratulated. "I expected nothing less of you. Take a good rest now."

Max, on the other hand, wasn't taking the loss very well. "Good job Sceptile. Return." He turned towards Jake. "You asshole. How could you trick me like that!?" He demanded.

Jake sighed. "I told you, you have to be prepared for everything. If you lose your focus in battle, then your Pokémon will sense this and lose focus too. Trainers do this all the time, try to get into your head. Shadow and his Protean ability is my way of doing it. Some people try and overwhelm with pure power, others with speed. Some like to taunt their opponents when they lose. Breaking down your opponent mentally is not only a great strategy, it's widely accepted nowadays. You just need to find your own way of doing it." Jake replied.

"That still wasn't very cool," Max replied, calming down a little.

"You'll understand in due time."

the two walked off the field, tweeting up with May.

"That match was awesome!" May exclaimed, hugging Jake tightly.

Jake blushed at the gesture, hugging her back. "I thought we weren't going to tell Max," he whispered into her ear.

"Sorry! I couldn't help it. I'm just really happy for you, that's all."

Upon seeing this, Max smiled. "I knew it. May's got a boyfriend, May's got a boyfriend!" He taunted.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag!" She said innocently.

"Yeah, I guess. Max, since you seem to be in a better mood, when's your next match?" Jake asked.

"In fifteen minutes. I gotta go, see you lovebirds later!" He said, running off.

"You're right, he **does** seem to be in a better mood. On a side note, Eevee here was completely glued to the battle, have you ever considered using him to battle?"

"Yes, I have, and even though he enjoys watching them, I don't think he particularly likes the thought of battling for himself. I've told him that if he wants to give it a shot, he's always welcome. He has yet to take me up on that offer. Right bud?"

"Vui!" He cooed back, snuggling into Jake's neck after hopping off of May's shoulder.

"Another thing, why has he not evolved? I know he doesn't battle, but still, with the bond between you two, he surely should have evolved into an Espeon or Umbreon, right?"

"Normally, yes, but he's made it very clear to me that he wants to stay the way he is, and I have no problems with that. Besides, I don't think I'd be able to carry either of those two on my shoulders. To be sure, I keep an Everstone in my bag as a back-up."

"Doesn't that prevent your other Pokémon from evolving too?"

"No because an Everstone can only be used by one Pokémon at a time, and currently, Eevee is the only one who has touched it."

"I see. When's your next match?"

"I've got an hour to kill, what do you wanna do until then?"

"I don't know."

"On a side note, are you still up for that movie tonight? I mean, you don't have to sneak out, now that Max knows, so we could do something else if you want."

"Nah, I wanna see a movie with you. That way you can protect me from the scary scenes!" She said playfully.

"Alright then, since we have an hour to kill, why don't you tell me some stories of your travels?" Jake said, smiling.

"Alright then, what do you want to know?"

"Well, I heard that after splitting up with Ash, you went to Johto. How about some of your adventures there?"

"Uh, mind if you ask me about something else?" May asked, her cheery demeanor quickly changing into a more depressed one.

_Shit, I forgot about __**him**_ Jake mentally scolded himself. "Yeah, sorry. Where did you go after Johto?"

"Let's see, I was planning on going to Sinnoh afterwards, but after finding out that a certain someone was going there, I decided to go back to Hoenn and compete there a second time." She replied, her tone changing back to a more cheerful one.

"How did that go?"

It went well, since I already had five ribbons, I only entered contests to keep my skills up. I placed second in the Grand festival the first re run, and then I won the next year. I didn't compete last year because I decided to go to the Orange Islands to just relax."

"Congrats on winning! How did the Orange Islands go?"

"They were Awesome!" May exclaimed. "The beaches were everywhere, which was always nice."

_Note to self, if I get a day off, take May to the beach, she seems to like it_ Jake said mentally.

"And on top of that, there was an island with **pink** Pokémon!"

"Pink Pokémon? What the hell?"

"Yeah. Apparently, the berries they eat there are unlike any others found elsewhere. The pink juices, if eaten enough, turn the skin pink!"

"That's actually pretty cool!"

"Yeah. It's also quite amusing to see a normally menacing looking Rhydon completely pink! Can you imagine that?"

Jake thought for a second. "Nope, can't say I can. Sounds like it's a sight to behold!"

"It is, trust me."

"So tell me May, do you ever plan on going to Sinnoh?"

"Yeah. I was planning on going after the tournament, but now that I'm with you, I don't want to take away from your gym quest."

Don't worry about that. I've been to all the regions, and I'd be happy to accompany you to Sinnoh. I never told you this, but since I won the Hoenn league, I can challenge the Elite Four. I can use the time off to train for it. Besides, it's my second favorite region after Hoenn. Like they always say, there's no place like Hoenn!"

"You're so punny!" She replied, looking deep into Jake's auburn eyes. "And challenging the Elite Four? That's gonna be the toughest set of battles yet!"

He returned her gaze, but quickly looked away.

"Sorry, but my match is gonna start in ten minutes. Can you believe we sat here talking for almost an hour? Time sure flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it sure does." May replied, slightly dejected. _Man, I thought we were having a moment. Oh well, maybe tonight. At least we'll be alone._

_Damn, I hated interrupting that moment, but if we were talking for any longer, I would've missed my battle! Maybe I can make it up to her later tonight, she seemed a little down at the interruption_ Jake thought to himself. Mind keeping Eevee company for me?" He asked.

"Yeah, sure." She replied. The next thing she did took Jake completely by surprise. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Good luck!"

"Thanks..." Jake said, a little stunned.

Eevee couldn't help but laugh at the situation, hopping onto May's shoulder.

"I guess he's not used to that, huh?" May said to Eevee.

"Vui," he agreed.

* * *

"This will be a one on one match between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Jimmy Lee of Lilycove City. Each trainer will use one Pokémon, and the match will be over when either side's is unable to battle. A win is two points, a loss is none, and a tie is one apiece. The scoreboard will randomly decide who choose their Pokémon first. Are both trainers ready?"

Both nodded.

_God, this gets boring. I've said the same thing twenty times today, and I still have ten more matches after this. Damn the Pokémon League and its formality rules_ the ref thought to himself.

The two trainers looked up at the scoreboard, and it landed on red, which was Jimmy.

The ref nodded in his direction.

"Haxorus, let's do this!"

A brownish yellow dragon type appeared. He had two massive foot claws, and a small head with two scythes on it.

_So he went for pure power, with above average speed. He definitely won't match his speed, but he can take the hits like a champ!_

Would the blue trainer please send out his Pokémon.

"Pharaoh, engage!"

Cofagrigus, a possessed golden sarcophagus appeared, with four ghostly hands emerging, and an evil grin on his face. Despite all of this, off the battlefield, this particular Cofagrigus was really affectionate.

"Cofagrigus versus Haxorus, begin!" The ref shouted, a little overwhelmed at the two powerhouses.

"Let's start out with Dragon Claw!"

"Wait for it, then hit back with a Shadow Punch!"

Haxorus charged towards Cofagrigus, holding out a glowing claw. Cofagrigus just stood there, waiting to strike. Haxorus scored a clean hit, which was followed by a quick Shadow Punch to the face.

_Why did he let me hit him?_ Jimmy asked himself mentally. His confident demeanor quickly changed when he was hit with realization. _Fuck, Mummy ability. Rivalry won't work anymore, so Haxorus isn't as powerful as he would have been. No matter, I just have to beat him down to a pulp._

"Haxorus, use Earthquake!"

"Shadow Ball. Keep your distance!"

Haxorus happily complied, slamming his foot on the ground, causing a massive tremor to shake the arena. Cofagrigus barely seemed phased by the attack, and retaliated by sending a slow, but steady stream of Shadow Balls at Haxorus, each one making contact.

"Block those with a Dragon Tail!" Jimmy yelled. "Then go into a Dragon Dance!"

_Perfect. He's now in a world of hurt! _Jake mentally cheered.

"Pharaoh, wait for him to finish, then use Power Split!"

_Fuck! At least I'll keep the speed increase, but now I have to play it safe_.

Haxorus's tail glowed, before sending the Shadow Balls flying wide. Once he finally felt a let up, he danced frantically, surrounded by a red and black energy. Cofagrigus retaliated by sending a pink energy at him, raising his attack while lowering Haxorus's in the process.

"Good job, now Shadow Punch!"

"Counter it with Thunderpunch!"

Cofagrigus sent two shadowy fists at Haxorus, instead of dodging, he retaliated by punching the fists with his own, which was cackling with electricity. This caused a small explosion, sending him flying back. Haxorus got back up, albeit with much difficulty.

"We can come back from this! Earthquake now!"

_Time to pull out my trump card!_ "Trick Room! Followed by Shadow Ball!"

As Haxorus prepared to slam his foot Down on the ground, the battlefield was suddenly surrounded by a glowing grid. Before he could finish the attack, a Shadow Ball came seemingly out of nowhere, knocking him back.

"Use Dragon Claw!"

"Astonish!"

Cofagrigus seemingly teleported right in front Haxorus, smashing two of his ghostly hands on each side of his head, causing him to flinch.

"Now finish with Shadow Punch!" Jake commanded, sensing a victory.

"Retaliate with Outrage!" Jimmy yelled, although he knew that the match was over.

Cofagrigus slammed two fists into Haxorus before anyone could blink, knocking him out cold.

"Haxorus is unable to battle, Cofagrigus wins! The match goes to Jake!"

"Great job Pharaoh!" His Pokémon replied by giving him an affectionate hug. "Great match Jimmy, that Haxorus of yours was really strong."

"Thanks. That Cofagrigus of yours sure knows how to take a beating. I gotta go. See ya!" He replied, before running off.

Jake walked off the field to meet up with May.

"Wow, that battle was awesome!" May exclaimed.

"Thanks," Jake replied, finally breaking free of Pharaoh's death grip. "Good job bud, take a rest." He said, recalling the ghost type.

"Ugh, ghost types creep me out!"

"They're not all that bad, once you get to know them."

"Sorry, but the day I became a trainer, a Duskull scared the living shit out of me, and I ended up crashing into a tree. After that, I've never been able to take a liking to them."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

"Don't be. Come on, one more battle, and you and I can have some alone time."

"Sounds good, I gotta be there in ten minutes." Jake said, holding out his hand.

"Who are you gonna use?" She replied, taking it. The two started walking, hand in hand.

"So long as it's not an Azumarill or Talonflame, I'm gonna go with Blazer."

"So basically, you're saying that you want it to be a quick battle?"

"No, not necessarily."

"Uh-huh. Suure."

* * *

"This will be a one on one battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Barry Jenkins of Slateport City. Each trainer will use one Pokémon, and there is no time limit. A win is two points, a loss is none, and a draw is one each. The scoreboard will determine randomly who picks first. Are both trainers ready?"

Both nodded, looking up. It landed on blue, which was Jake. The ref nodded in his direction.

"Blazer, engage!"

Out came the shiny Blaze Pokémon, striking a battle ready stance.

"Bad choice," Barry said. "Swampert, let's go!" He shouted, after receiving the signal from the referee. Out came the Mud Fish Pokémon, staring down his fellow starter.

"Blaziken versus Swampert, begin!"

"Let's start out with an Earthquake!" Barry yelled.

"Jump and dodge! Then use Double Kick!"

Swampert slammed his fists into the ground, causing it to shake. Blazer easily avoided the attack by jumping to the air, using his powerful lower body strength. As he descended, he angled his body so that when he landed, he delivered two kicks to the top of Swampert's head.

"Rock Tomb! Swords Dance while he's trapped!" Jake commanded.

"Break free with Superpower! Then hit 'em with a Hydro Pump!" Barry retaliated.

Blazer stomped his foot on the ground, trapping Swampert with a wall of rocks. His wrists then flared up, glowing in a purple energy, and he began dancing frantically, keeping an eye on his opponent. Swampert, on the other hand, used his glowing fists to smash through the rocks trapping him. He then sent a massive stream of water at Blazer. Blazer was ready, and quickly sidestepped the attack. Swampert expected this, and readjusted his aim, scoring a clean hit. Blazer didn't seem too hurt by it, but instead he flared his wrists up in response, seeing a worthy opponent facing him.

"Don't worry about it, use Blaze Rush, followed by Sky Uppercut!"

"Swamp him with Muddy Water!"

Blazer covered his body in flames, then he sped towards his opponent like a bullet. After tackling him, he sent Swampert flying with a Sky Uppercut. The Mud Fish Pokémon retaliated by sending a stream of murky water at Blazer mid air. He tried to roll out of the way, but it managed to hit one of his legs, causing him to grunt in pain.

_Damn, it's been awhile since I've faced someone this good. Not since Kalos at least. I can tell Blazer is really getting into this_.

"Close Combat!"

_Wait, what? Blaziken can't even __**learn**__ Close Combat!_ "Counter with Hammer Arm!"

Blazer started assaulting Swampert with a rapid series of punches and kicks. Swampert tried to hit back with a Hammer Arm, but he was too slow, and tripped over a Low Kick.

_Swampert's about to get up soon, so I better finish this quick._ Jake thought to himself.

"Swamp the whole field with Surf!" Barry yelled.

"High Jump Kick!"

Swampert summoned a massive wave, covering the entire field with water. Blazer jumped, not only dodging it, but also going into his deadly High Jump Kick. He hit Swampert square in the face, knocking him out.

"Swampert is unable to battle, Blaziken and Jake win the match!"

"Great job Blazer, take a rest," Jake congratulated, recalling his Pokémon. "That was a great match!"

"Yeah, I guess." Barry replied, before walking off.

Jake walked off the field, to be congratulated By May.

"Wow, that was great!" May exclaimed.

"Thanks. I could tell Blazer really got into it."

"Eevee!"

"Yep. I truly think he did have fun out there. It's been awhile since I've seen him battle someone like that."

"Hey, let's go find Max and see how he did."

"Sounds good." The two walked off, hand in hand.

* * *

"Wait, what?" Jake asked, making sure he heard Max correctly.

"I didn't qualify. That guy Jimmy beat my Slaking with his Metagross. I lost, so I can't move on." Max replied, tears in his eyes.

_Oh no_ May said mentally. She then asked the inevitable. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I think I'll stay for the rest of the qualifiers, but I'm not gonna go to Driftveil. I think I'll go home after that."

"You gonna be alright by yourself?" May asked.

"Sis, I've been traveling on my own for three years. Just because Dad asked you to accompany me during the tournament, doesn't mean that I can't take care of myself," he replied, starting to regain his composure. He turned towards Jake. "Win this for me and my sister, okay?"

"I'll do my best!" Jake replied.

"I think I'll leave you two alone for the rest of the day." Max said dejectedly, before walking off.

Jake turned to May. "Man, I can't help but feel bad for him." He said.

"Yeah, but knowing him, he'll be over it in no time. Come on, let's get a quick bite to eat before the movie."

"Okay! What do you say Eevee, you wanna come with us?"

"Eevee!"

"Alright then, let's go."

* * *

The young couple had just walked into the theater, when someone got Jake's attention. He turned around to see a man in a suit.

"You need to put your Pokémon back in your Poke Ball."

"What?" Jake asked, making sure he heard the man correctly.

"I said that you need to put your Pokémon back in its Poke Ball."

"Eevee doesn't have a Poke Ball."

"How can your Pokémon not have a Poke Ball?"

"Technically speaking, Eevee is still wild. He decided to come along with me, and he sits on my shoulder wherever I go."

"Not in here, he doesn't."

"Can you **show** me the rules where it says no Pokémon allowed?" Jake asked, starting to get angry.

"Look right over there." The man replied, pointing to a sign. Sure enough, there was a sign that read, "All Pokémon must remain inside their Poke Balls at all times. No exceptions."

"Alright then, come on May, let's go." Jake said, lightly pulling her towards the exit.

"Coming." She conceded.

As the two walked out, Jake turned to May. "I'm sorry, but I don't go anywhere without Eevee. We can go find another theater if you want, surely there's more than one in a city as big as Slateport."

"Don't worry about it, I understand. As for the movie, I don't really care. As long as we're together, I don't mind what we do." She replied. _That was a letdown. I was really looking forward to seeing that with him. Oh well, I'm sure we can find something else to do_ she thought.

_Oh man, now what am I gonna do? I honestly have no idea what I'm supposed to do in this situation._ He thought for a moment, a cheesy plan coming to mind. He hesitated for a moment more._ Ahh, fuck it. It may be cheesy, but it's all I got._

"Hey, I just thought of something! Come on!" Jake said, dragging May with him.

"Alright alright I'm coming! Calm down will ya?" She replied. _I wonder what he's up to_ she thought.

They were walking for about ten minutes, until Jake finally stopped. They were on a beach, with a view of the setting sun. "Since we can't see the movie, I guess we could just sit here and watch the sunset instead?" He said, a little hesitation in his voice. _Jeez, this is so cliché. I hope she doesn't just burst out laughing at this_ he thought to himself.

"Sure, I'd love to!" She sat down, beckoning him to do the same. Eevee decided to give them some space, so he walked a few feet away and curled up for a quick nap.

_Well, this is romantic, no matter how many times this has been done. I guess I can let it slide this time_ she thought to herself.

Jake sat down right next to her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "I know that this has been done thousands of times before, but this is all that I could think of." Jake said, still a little hesitant.

"Don't worry, no matter how many times this has been done before, **I** haven't done this with anyone else before. Besides, I've always found the sunset to be beautiful." She replied, resting her head on his shoulders.

"Not as beautiful as you." He replied. _Man that was so cheesy! I really need to work on what I'm gonna say during moments like these._

May looked up at Jake and smiled. "Awww. That's sweet of you to say!"

"That's a relief." Jake muttered under his breath.

The two said no more, watching the sun set behind the horizon.

When it finally disappeared, only leaving a faint orange glow behind, May spoke up. _Here's that moment I missed out on earlier. I'm glad I waited, this seems like the perfect place!_

"So, do you wanna make things official?"

"I thought we were already official. What do you have planned?"

"This." She leaned in, turning Jake's head towards hers, meeting her lips with his. Jake was taken aback for a second, but quickly followed suit.

Their first kiss was a bit awkward, as it was both their first time at doing so. The two held it for about a minute, before finally breaking away. Afterwards, both felt their faces heat up and their stomachs tingle.

Over on the side, a certain brown Pokémon was watching from the side, smirking at what he saw.

Jake broke the silence first. "Wow. I don't think I've ever felt this way before." He said, still blushing. "Not that I don't like it, it feels...good."

"Wow. You're really bad at this." May giggled. "Don't worry though, it's a learning curve for the both of us." She said, leaning back into his shoulder.

"What? I didn't think it was **that** bad. A little awkward yes, but not bad." Jake replied, a little disappointed.

"Relax, I was talking about what you were saying. As for the kiss, it wasn't bad, but I think we could work on it," she replied, snuggling into his shoulder.

_Wow. I know I already said this aloud, but that felt...amazing! Awkwardness aside, I don't think that was a bad first kiss._ Jake thought to himself.

_That was great! I don't think this night could get any better! For a first kiss, that wasn't bad at all!_ May said mentally.

"So I guess it's official now?" Jake asked redundantly.

"Yeah."

The two sat there, unmoving for a long time.

Jake started to doze off, when he noticed May was asleep. Knowing that they couldn't stay outside, he nudged her awake.

"Come on May, you fell asleep, and we need to get back to our rooms."

"Huh? Oh yeah, right." She said groggily.

"Come on," he said, helping her up. "Eevee, let's go!"

Eevee, upon hearing his name, perked up. Seeing his friend telling him it was time to go, he quickly hopped on his shoulder.

The three walked back to the hotel, barely awake.

* * *

"Alright, see you tomorrow!" Jake said, before heading off into his room.

"Good night!" May called back, unlocking her door and going inside.

Jake did the same, and practically collapsed on his bed, taking just enough time to take off his hat and shoes.

"What a day!" He said to no one in particular. I qualify for the prelims, and I get a girlfriend! More importantly, my first kiss, too!"

"Eevee?" The Evolution Pokémon asked.

"It was awesome. I can't really describe the feeling, but it felt great. Anyways, I'm sleeping in tomorrow, since I have the day off. Don't. Wake. Me. Up. Period dot. Good night!" He finished, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

**So yeah, Max lost to Jake, and got knocked out of the tournament. Sorry if you're a fan of Max (is there even such a thing?), but he's only gonna make cameos from now on. Moving on. Jake makes it through the first round, and Blazer seemed to enjoy his last battle, I wonder what that means? Also, another one of Jake's Pokémon is shown. Finally, the shipping scene of the chapter. Let me know what you think of it, as I thought it was pretty cliché (like Jake mentioned over and over), and I want to know if I described that scene well enough. As for the shipping scenes, they're not going to go any farther than making out, as I don't think I'd be comfortable writing about that stuff. Reading it is one thing, writing it is another. Next chapter will be Jake's day off, I wonder what it will be...(hint hint, I mentioned it somewhere in the chapter). As always, please R&R!**


	13. Chapter 12

**Sorry I couldn't upload this sooner, I had shit to do. This is a longer chapter, since I was able to work on it for four days. Enjoy chapter 12 everyone!**

* * *

Jake woke up feeling refreshed for the first time in a few days. He got up, said good morning to Eevee, and was about to leave to eat breakfast. When he got to the door, he noticed a slip of paper on the floor, picking it up and reading it.

_Hey Jake. I went out for a little bit. I'll be back at around eleven. Max said that he was going to go spend the day at the museum, so that'll give us some free time. I wrote my Pokenav number at the end of this note just in case you wanted to call me.  
See ya soon!  
May_

Jake looked at the clock, which read 10:15.

_Alright, I have about 45 minutes to spare until May gets back. That should give me plenty of time to get ready for the day. Eating, showering, the normal routine._

"Hey Eevee, you up for a day at the beach? I was planning on taking May there for the day since the tournament doesn't pick back up until tomorrow."

"Eevee!" He replied, nodding his head in excitement.

"Good."

At that, he went down for a quick breakfast, then came back up to shower, changing into a pair of blue swim trunks with a large Poke Ball on the right leg. He threw on a white tank top, and fixed his hat on his head, wearing it backwards as usual. He made sure to bring a few towels and various supplies, and put his Poke Balls in his bag. He looked up at the clock, which read 10:55. After having Eevee climb on his shoulder, he headed out the door, bumping into May.

"Hey," Jake said. "I was just gonna see if you came back."

May eyed him over. "Here I am! I'm assuming you want to take me to the beach?"

"Yeah, based on what you said yesterday, it sounded like you really enjoyed going."

"I love the beach! Just give me about fifteen minutes to change, and we can go!" She exclaimed, running into her room.

Fifteen minutes later, she came back out. She was wearing a red bikini bottom, with her hip pack around her waist. She also had a white t-shirt on, covering her top. She was wearing her signature green bandana on her head, with two locks of hair floating downwards over her ears.

"All ready to go?" Jake asked.

"Yep! I decided to bring my Pokemon with me. It's been awhile since they've all been to the beach." She replied.

"Same here. Come on, I know a great spot that's usually not that crowded." He said, holding out his hand.

"You're the boss!" She replied coyly, taking his hand.

_Wow. This definitely feels different than when we're wearing gloves. Skin on skin contact feels much...warmer._ Jake thought to himself, leading May to the beach.

* * *

"Wow!" May exclaimed. "You were right! This is a good spot. There's no one here!"

"I told you." Jake replied, setting down his bag and taking off his shirt, revealing a body that had some muscle tone. Upon seeing this, May blushed slightly. Eevee hopped off to find a comfortable spot on the sand.

"How did you find a place like this?" May asked, also taking off her shirt. She was wearing a matching red bikini top that showed a little cleavage to go with the bottom.

Jake took notice, blushing. _Damn, she looks __**good**_ he thought to himself.

"Well, I had just beaten Brawny, so I decided that the best place to go next would be Mauville, so I had to make a stop here in Slateport. I missed the ferry, but a nice fisherman said that he was going to Slateport anyways, so he dropped me off at a dock about a quarter of a mile from here, so I walked along the beach and came across this spot, which is on the way to the city."

Jake recalled. He started to put on sunscreen, using the spray on type. "Could you get my back for me please?" He asked.

"Sure, if you get mine!" May replied, spraying Jake's back.

He returned the favor, and pulled out his Pokeballs. "Hey everybody, I thought we could use a day off! Come on out!"

Out came Grace, Blazer, Riptide, Talon, Pharaoh, and Shadow. He caught the balls, putting them back in his bag. "Don't go too far, but other than that, relax and have fun. You guys earned it."

Immediately, Pharaoh enveloped Jake in a ghostly hug.

"Alright, have fun guys!" He said, breaking free of the death grip.

"Haha. Alright everyone, you come on out too!" May laughed, releasing her Pokemon.  
Out came Blaziken, Beautifly, Glaceon, Venusaur, Blastoise, and Ampharos.

"Guys, meet Jake, my boyfriend. Have fun, and don't go too far!"

Blaziken, having already met Jake, went to go talk with Blazer. Glaceon came up to Jake and rubbed against his legs, as a way of saying hello. Eevee, upon seeing one of his evolved forms, was quick to make his presence known, striking up a conversation with her. Beautifly landed on Jake's head, her signature way of saying hello, while Blastoise and Venusaur merely greeted him briefly, before walking off. Ampharos was last, a little hesitant to meet the boy, a look of distrust on her face.

"What's wrong with Ampharos?" Jake asked, a little overwhelmed by the attention, yet still concerned about the glare he was receiving from Ampharos.

"Honestly, I think it might have to do with Drew. Don't ask what happened, but let's just say that she doesn't trust boys who get close to me because of it." May replied, her voice a little down. "But don't worry, she'll warm up to you eventually. Just give her time and show her that you're not a bad person."

"I'll keep that in mind." He said. He then looked Ampharos straight in the eyes. "I don't know what happened between those two, but I can assure you that it won't happen with me."

"Anyways," May said, breaking the tension. "Everyone seems to be getting along."

She was right. Eevee and Glaceon were chatting up a storm. Beautifly flew off of Jake's head and took to the sky with Talon. Venusaur was talkimg with Grace. Blastoise, Shadow, and Riptide took to the water, seemingly to play a game of some sorts. Blazer was talking to his female companion, with Blaziken listening intently. Pharaoh was breaking the ice with Ampharos, who was still keeping an eye on Jake, yet still enjoying the company of the ghost Pokemon.

"So, what do ya wanna do?" May asked.

"I guess we could go swimming." _He replied. Now that we're here, I honestly don't know what to do. I really should have thought this through._

"Lighten up. You don't have to act so nervous around me. Just be yourself. Like the old times," May smiled, trying to ease Jake out of his uncertainty. "That's not a bad idea." May took off her bandana, letting the rest of her hair flow down to her shoulders, combing out the wrinkles with her fingers.

_She's right, I shouldn't be acting so nervous, after all, she __**is**__ my girlfriend. Jake thought to himself._ "Sorry. I've never been good with girls." He admitted.

"Well you didn't seem to have a problem talking to me beforehand." She replied.

"I know, but we **were** best friends before. Even if it was six years since we last spoke. I guess I just need to get used to calling you my girlfriend, that's all." Jake said.

"Don't worry, we're here to have fun! Come on, let's get in the water!" She exclaimed, pulling Jake by the hand towards the water.

* * *

Off in the water, three water Pokemon were watching the whole fiasco.

"Wow," Blastoise said, looking at both Shadow and Riptide. "Your trainer seriously needs to work on his female interaction skills."

"I know. He's a great trainer, an even better friend, but when it comes to girls, it's almost like he freezes up." Shadow replied.

"Give him a break, it's his first girlfriend, and it's a whole new experience for him. He just needs a little help, that's all." Said Riptide.

"Yeah, and what do you want us to do about it?" asked Shadow.

"They ARE coming in the water to swim, so we _could_ help your trainer out a little, after all, he seems like a nice guy, definitely better than the asshole who was with May beforehand," Blastoise said.

"What happened between those two?" Riptide asked.

"Sorry, but my lips are sealed. If May doesn't want to tell Jake yet, then I'm not gonna tell you. Back on track, I think I know how to get those two a little closer, so listen up."

"What do you have in mind?" Shadow asked.

"This." Blastoise said, revealing his plan.

* * *

Back on the beach, Jake was being dragged by May towards the water. "Hey, slow down! You're about to pull my arm off!" He yelled.

"Calm down you big baby! It was you're idea anyways!" She replied cheerfully.

They finally reached a nice spot, wading in until they were treading water.

"So now what?" Jake asked.

"I don't know," May replied, with a mischievous grin on her face.

"Uh-oh, I don't think I like where this is going." Jake said, a sweat drop forming on his face.

Before either of them could react, Jake was suddenly pulled under the water without warning.  
May started to panic. One moment she was talking with her boyfriend, the next he was pulled under water. "Jake! Jake!" She yelled, trying to spot him. She tried to dunk her head under the water to see, but was held back by an unseen something. Or _someone_. She tried to break free, but to no avail. She tried turning her head, but it too was held in place.

"Help! Help!" She yelled, trying to get someone's attention. But since there wasn't anyone around, thanks to the secluded area that Jake had picked, no one heard her cries for help. However, the Pokemon on the beach recognized who was holding May back, so they didn't do anything.

Underwater, Jake was able to open his eyes, filled with fear, but he relaxed when he saw Shadow gripping him with his tongue.

_Wow. I never knew he was __**this**__ playful before. Still, its a bit unnerving knowing that you're being help by a tongue. I wonder what he's up to_ he thought to himself. He then saw Riptide, who looked like he was giving a thumbs up.

_Uh-oh, what do they have planned for me this time?_ he asked himself. He was starting to run out of breath, and motioned upwards to let his Pokemon know that he needed to breathe. They acknowledged him, slowly bringing him back to the surface.

May was beginning to cry. _Why did this happen? We weren't bothering anyone. It was just supposed to be a fun day with my boyfriend, and he gets pulled under, and someone has me pinned down so I can't move_ she was full on crying now, tears streaming down her face. Behind her, a certain blue turtle was grinning, knowing what her reaction would change to in a few seconds. He gave the signal by wiggling his left foot underwater.

Suddenly, Jake resurfaced, gasping for breath. May saw this, and immediately felt the grip on her loosen. She didn't care, all she did was wade in the now chest high water over to her boyfriend, quickly smothering him with a tight hug.

"Oh my Arceus, I thought I lost you!" She said, burying her face into Jake's neck, still sniveling.

"Don't worry, I'm fine!" He reassured her, looking past her at the three water types, giving them a look as to say, "I'll talk to you about this later."

Silently, though, he was thanking them for what they did. He had caught on to their little ploy after Riptide had given him the thumbs up, knowing that they were only trying to help. _Thanks guys, I owe you one_ he said mentally, before hugging May just as tightly as she was him.

"What happened?" May was finally able to blurt out, after a good ten minutes of trying to calm down. "While you were underwater, I was pinned back and I couldn't move! And how did we get this close back to shore?"

"I don't know May" Jake lied, not wanting her to know what really had happened. "I guess I must have caught a rip current or something. As for you not being able to move, I have no clue, but I can assure you that if something bad had happened, Riptide, Shadow, and Blastoise would have been here in an instant," he reassured her, still holding on to her tightly.

"I guess you're right. Still, I wish I knew what was holding me back," she said, looking deep into Jake's auburn eyes. Immediately she felt her chest heat up.

Jake returned her gaze feeling his chest heat up as well, before taking the initiative and leaning in. May followed suit, and soon they shared their second kiss, a little less awkward than the first one.

* * *

Off to the side, the three water types were watching the two teens interact.

"I told you it would work" Blastoise said.

"Damn, I didn't think he had it in him," Shadow said, surprised at Jake's initiative.

"I told you, he just needs a little help, that's all." Riptide said.

* * *

After about a minute, the two broke off.

"I promise, I won't let anything happen to you." Jake said, still holding May in his arms.

May was a little stunned. _Wow. He really does care about me. As for him making the first move, I could get used to this. Oh well, I feel much better now._ "Aren't you a smooth one?" She said flirtatiously. "Come on, it should be lunch time just about now, and I brought food." She said, still in Jake's arms.

"You got me at food," he grinned. The two waded ashore, with Jake's arm around May's waist, and vice versa. She led him over to where her fanny pack was, and pulled out two sandwiches.

"I made these myself, I hope you like it." She said a little nervously.

"Don't worry, I love sandwiches. On a side note, I brought some Pokemon food, so I can fill everyone's food bowls and we'll be good to go." He replied.

Soon, everyone was eating, with Jake and May chatting.

Everyone was enjoying the meal, talking amongst themselves while eating. Ampharos seemed to have warmed up to Jake, as she wasn't giving him a death glare every time she looked at him.

Blazer was the first to finish, with May's Blaziken close behind. They started to have a sparring match, and soon there was a small crowd watching.

Jake smiled. "It seems like those two hit it off well, huh?"

"Yeah, it looks like those two are having fun!" May replied.

"Hey Blazer!" Jake called, drawing his starter's attention. "Don't wear yourself out, I need you for tomorrow's double battle!"

Blazer nodded, continuing his sparring match with Blaziken.

Soon, Jake and May had finished their sandwiches, and they were laying back on their towels.

"What do you wanna do now?" May asked.

"Well, we could go swimming again." Jake suggested.

"I don't know, I don't think I could deal with having that whole ordeal happen again."

"Don't worry," Jake reassured her. "I can guarantee you that it won't. But if you don't want to, then I guess we could do something else."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"How about a game of beach volley ball?" Jake suggested. "I have one in my bag, I just need to get it out. I know there's no net, but we could figure something out. We could get the Pokemon to join in if they want."

"Sounds good!" May exclaimed. "Who's up for a game of beach ball?" She shouted.

Shadow, Riptide, Ampharos, Blastoise, Glaceon and Eevee all walked up, wanting to take part in the game. The others were still watching the two fire types spar with each other.

Ten minutes later, Jake had the volley ball ready, and was busy getting everyone organized.

"Please try not to pop it," he said. "It's resistant to Pokemon attacks, but it can only take so much. Other than that, have fun!"

The Pokemon nodded in agreement, and Jake stepped over to his side.

Jake, Shadow, Riptide, and Eevee were on one side, and May, Ampharos, Blastoise, and Glaceon were on the other.

"Don't think that just because you're my girlfriend that I'll go easy on you!" Jake taunted.

"I wouldn't dream of it!" May replied, a determined look on her face.

Jake served the ball, hitting it high into the air. Before it could hit the ground, Glaceon slapped it with her tail, to be returned by Shadow's tongue. Blastoise hit it up with his head, and May sent it over to the other side. Eevee dove for it, barely keeping it off the ground. The ball flew up, to be punched over to the other side by Riptide. Ampharos hit it back with her tail, and Jake dove for it, barely missing.

"Great job!" May exclaimed, giving Ampharos a hi five.

"Your serve," Jake stated, tossing the ball over to May.

She caught it, and quickly hit it into the air. Shadow was the first to get to it, sending it shooting across the makeshift field. Blastoise was able to stop it with his bulky body, allowing Glaceon to make a clean return. Eevee was able to headbutt it into the air, allowing Jake to spike it over to the other side. Ampharos dove for it, but narrowly missed, giving Jake's team the point. The group of eight continued playing like this, exchanging points, with no team gaining an advantage. The two fire type starters stopped their sparring match, interested in the intense game. Soon everyone was watching, their heads moving back and forth following the ball. This went on for a good two hours, before they decided to call it quits. Both sides were panting heavily, tired from the intense game they had played.

"What do you think guys, who won?" Jake asked.

Grace spoke up, pointing over at May's team.

"Yay!" May exclaimed, happy about her team's victory.

"Damn, I'm sorry guys, I really thought we had that." Jake sulked.

"Ahh, don't worry about it, we had fun, that's all that matters, right?" winked May, walking over to him.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Lighten up! It doesn't matter who won, I just enjoyed playing with you!" She gave him a playful slap on the back.

"Yeah, you're right. Man, I'm hot. I think I could go for a swim, you wanna come?" Jake asked, his demeanor changing to a more cheerful one.

May hesitated, before giving in. "Sure. I could use some cooling off."

"Don't worry, Shadow and Riotide will be right there with us, right guys?" He said, looking over at his two water types. They nodded in response.

"Well, I guess with them there, nothing bad will happen. Blastoise, you coming?"

The blue turtle nodded, heading into the water.

"Come on," Jake reassured her, holding out his hand. May took it, and they waded off into the water, the three water types trailing behind them. They went in about chest level, before May's nervous mood changed into a more playful one. She started splashing Jake, laughing in the process.

"No fair! I wasn't ready!" Jake shouted, splashing her back. The two continued their splash fight, both laughing at each other. Suddenly, Jake and May were both lifted off their feet by Riptide and Blastoise respectively.

"Hey! What gives!" May shouted, intrigued by her Pokemon's sudden move.

"Yeah what's this all about?" Jake asked, also wondering what the two water types were up to. Suddenly, realization hit him. _Uh-oh, this must be another one of their attempts to get me and May closer, I wonder what they have planned this time?_ he thought to himself.

"Wait a minute, where's Shadow?" May asked.

"I don't know, but wherever he is, I'm sure it has something to do with their little plan." Jake replied.

"I'm not sure I like where this is going." May said. She then noticed that the two water types were right next to each other. Riptide then flipped Jake off of his back, causing him to land on Blastoise. He then said something in his native tongue.

"What did he say?" May asked, helping Jake up onto Blastoise's shell.

"He said that you should hold on to me, while I hold on to Blastoise." Jake replied, getting a good grip on the shell.

"Why?"

"I don't know, but I think it might be a good idea. "These two seem to have a plan in mind."

"Alright," May conceded, wrapping her arms around his waist, confused as to what was going on.

Suddenly, they saw what looked like a slide made of ice up ahead. Upon closer inspection, Shadow was using his Ice Beam to make the final touches.

"I see." May said. "These three are planning on sending us down that slide."

"Yeah. I gotta admit, it looks kind of fun!"

"Indeed it does!" May gripped Jake tighter in anticipation, causing Jake to blush.

_Man, what is up with those three today. I guess they're just really happy to see me with a girl, I guess. As for this, I definitely like the feeling I get when I'm this close to May._

May felt the warmth of Jake's body pressed up on her skin, causing her to blush as well. _These three must really like seeing Jake and I together. I've never known Pokemon that go out of their way to make sure that their trainer is having the best time possible. Jake must really have a deep bond with them if they're going to these lengths, so I better enjoy the moment!_

Blastoise had reached the now-completed ice slide, and suddenly leaped out of the water. He then slid down. On his back, Jake and May were completely enjoying themselves.

"That was fun!" May exclaimed after they had landed back in the water.

"Yeah it was! Let's go again!" Jake replied. Upon hearing this, the three water types smiled, knowing that their plan had worked once again. Blastoise took them down the slide a few more times, each time May gripping Jake tighter than the last, before finally heading back to shore. They finally reached it, when they noticed the sun was sitting fairly low in the sky.

"It's getting pretty late, I think we should get going. I wanna eat dinner, and I didn't bring any with me." Jake said, walking to get his towel.

"Yeah, you're right." May replied, drying herself off with her towel.

The two quickly got dried off and redressed before they started packing up.

"Alright everyone, I hope you enjoyed your day off. Tomorrow we gotta big day, as we got two double battles tomorrow." He then turned to Grace. "I'm sure you're happy to hear that I'm gonna be using you and Blade in the first round, right?" He asked with a sly smile.

Upon hearing the name, Grace's ears perked up.

"Thought so."

"Who's Blade?" May asked.

"My Gallade, and Gace's mate. Their teamwork is exceptional when I use them in double battles, since they share such a close bond." Jake replied.

"Cool!" May said, pulling out her Pokeballs. "Alright, I hope you all had fun, but it's time to go! Return!" She then began recalling her Pokemon, who were finishing up their temporary goodbyes. Ampharos was the last go be called back, and Jake could've sworn that he saw her give him a quick smile.

Jake then pulled out his Pokeballs. "Alright, return guys! I need you all to rest up for tomorrow!" He recalled his Pokemon, placing the Pokeballs in his bag. He lowered his hand, allowing Eevee to climb on his shoulder.

"Did you have fun?" He asked.

"Eevee! Eev. Eevee!" He exclaimed.

"Glad to hear it."

Jake walked off back to the city, holding hands with May, a content smile on his face.  
When they reached the hotel, Jake spoke up. "You wanna head out for dinner?"

"Yeah, sure. I gotta shower and get ready first, I'll knock on your door when I'm ready to go, kay?" She replied.

"Sounds good! Don't take too long."

May rolled her eyes. "_Never_ rush a girl when she's getting ready." She said intensly.

"Okay," Jake cowered back, intimidated by the sudden change of tone.

The two walked back into their respective rooms to get ready for the evening.

"Man, today was fun, and it's not even over yet! I still have the whole night left!" Jake exclaimed, walking into the bathroom. Then he stopped, remembering one of the day's events. He pulled out two Pokeballs, and enlarged them. He called out two Pokemon. In front of him, the Mud Fish and Ninja Pokemon appeared.

"So, mind telling me what you were doing earlier today? I know you had good intentions, but you scared the shit out of May!" Jake scolded. His two water types looked down in shame.  
"Hey, I know you were trying to help, but maybe you should stick to doing things like the slide. You know, not trying to scare my girlfriend to death?"

The two Pokemon nodded, knowing they messed up.

"Now, whose idea was it?" Jake asked.

Both Pokemon shook their heads, and spoke in their native tongue trying to tell him it was Blastoise who came up with the idea.

"Wait, so you're saying that one of **May's** Pokemon came up with the idea? Blastoise is the culprit?"

The two Pokemon nodded.

"Next time you see him, tell him to not scare the shit out of May, okay? Look, I'm not mad at you, but please don't do anything like that again. Okay?"

They nodded once more, before being recalled back into their Pokeballs.

Jake then proceeded to shower, putting on a pair of khaki shorts and a blue polo shirt, dressing up slightly nicer than usual for the occasion. He wore his signature hat backwards on his head.

"And now, we wait." Jake said, petting Eevee.

He continued sitting there for about five minutes, before suddenly realizing something.

"Shit! I forgot to call Mom yesterday!"

At that, he grabbed his Pokenav and dialed a number.

"Hello?" A woman said.

"Hey mom," Jake replied.

"Oh hi son, how are you? Did you make it to the next round?"

"Yeah, I qualified yesterday, so I had the day off today."

"What did you do?"

"I went to the beach."

"All by yourself? Come on Jake, when are you gonna meet someone? You're sixteen! You should be—" Jake's mom ranted on.

"MOM!" Jake shouted, cutting her off. "You didn't let me finish. And to answer your first question, no. I went with someone."

"Oh, who?"

"M-my girlfriend." Jake stuttered.

"Oh! Who is she? Is she cute? What's her name?" His mom asked excitedly.

"Yes she's cute. Do you remember May Maple, from when we were kids?"

"Oh, yes. I remember her. You two were close. So you finally got the balls to ask a girl out I see."

"Yeah." Jake said blankly.

"You two aren't doing anything you shouldn't be, are you?"

"No! Mom. We're not. Jeez."

"Just making sure. What are you doing now?" His mom asked.

"Well I called you while I was waiting for her to get ready. We're going out to dinner."

"Ah, so my son is finally learning the kinks of the dating world."

Jake heard a knock on the door.

"Mom, she's here. I gotta go. I'll call you later. Love ya! Bye!"

"Love you too, son. Take care!"

His mom hung up, smiling at herself. "About damn time!" She said.

* * *

Jake walked up and opened the door. When he opened it, he saw May wearing her black biker shorts, her red and orange shoes, and a sleeveless orange skirt. She was wearing her all too familiar bandana on her head, and her hip pack on her waist.

"Ready to go?" She asked.

"Yeah, I just need to get my bag, then I'll be good to go." He replied.

Jake swung his backpack on his shoulders, letting Eevee hop on. He then proceeded out the door to where May was waiting, holding hands and walking to find a place to eat.

* * *

They arrived at a restaurant, not too fancy, but not too shabby either. They were shown to a table, and the waitress took their orders.

"So," May started. "Can you tell me the story of your first capture?"

"Yeah, if you tell me yours." Jake replied.

"It was about two days after I left home to start on my journey, and I was headed to Petalburg City, to say good bye to you, before continuing on.

* * *

_"Hey Blazer, you wanna meet my friend May?"_

_"Torchic!" The shiny Torchic replied. _

_"Alright then. Petalburg City is right past route 102. Then we can go to the Gym!"_

_The young trainer was walking along the path, with a shiny Torchic sitting on his shoulder. As they were walking, they heard a noise. _

_"You hear that?" Jake asked. _

_"Tor!" His starter replied. _

_They continued walking, when they came across a young Ralts. _

_"Cool! A Ralts! Lets see what the PokeDex says. _

_"Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon. It can use the horns on its head to read human emotions. Ralts rarely shows itself to humans, but may occasionally approach when it senses positive or happy feelings." The PokeDex stated. _

_"What do ya say, you ready to battle?" Jake asked the Torchic. _

_"Chic!" Blazer replied, hopping off his trainer's shoulder, striking a fighting pose. _

_"Alright, let's start off with Peck!" Jake commanded. _

_Blazer complied, charging towards the small Psychic type with an elongated beak. The Ralts took a defensive stance, before letting off a menacing Growl, causing Blazer to stop in his tracks. The Ralts then proceeded to lift Blazer on the air with her Confusion, and threw him into a tree, causing him to faint on impact. _

_"Blazer!" Jake shouted, rushing towards his fallen Pokemon. "I'm gonna get you to the Pkemon Center, don't worry, it won't be long!" He started running in the direction of Petalburg, his starter cradled in his arms. Unbeknownst to him, the curious Ralts decided to follow him. _

* * *

_Jake had just reached the Pokemon Center. _

_"Nurse Joy!" He called frantically. "Nurse Joy, Blazer here was thrown against a tree by a Confusion attack, can you please make sure he's okay?"_

_"Certainly, I just need you to recall him into his Pokeball." She stated calmly. _

_Jake complied, recalling his Pokemon. _

_"It'll be a few moments, so please wait in the lobby."_

_"Okay," Jake said, trying to calm down. _

_He sat there for ten minutes, before Nurse Joy reappeared. _

_"Your Torchic is fine. He was probably surprised by the impact, he is fighting fit and good to go," she stated sweetly. _

_"Thank you. Blazer, come on out!"_

_He opened the pokeball, and the shiny Torchic appeared. _

_"Just in case you didn't know, that Torchic is different than the others." Joy explained. _

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Normally Torchic are orange, but this one is yellow. It's known as a shiny Pokemon, they're very rare."_

_"I think I remember Professor Birch say something like that, but I guess I wasn't paying attention." Jake recalled, nervously scratching his head. _

_"Don't worry, if you ever need help again, please don't hesitate to come back! Goodbye!" Nurse a joy waved. _

_"Bye, and thanks for everything!" Jake called back. "Alright, time to go say goodbye to my best friend." Jake muttered to himself._

_He walked for about ten minutes, before finding the gym. He then walked inside._

_"Hello, anybody home?"_

_"Jake!" A voice called out. _

_Jake turned around to find a girl wearing a red bandana, a red shirt, black biker shorts, and a white mini skirt over the shorts with a yellow hip pack. _

_"May! How are you?"_

_"F-fine!" She stammered. _

_"What's the matter?" _

_"Th-that thing!" She exclaimed, pointing at the Torchic on his shoulder. _

_"It's just Blazer, my Torchic. Don't worry, he's friendly." Jake tried to reassure her. _

_"Can you PLEASE put it back in its ball? You know I don't like Pokemon!"_

_"Alright alright, I will." He turned towards the Torchic. I'm sorry bud, but she doesn't like Pokemon."_

_Blazer had a hurt look on his face as Jake recalled him. "Don't worry, you can come back out after I leave" Jake reassured his fire type. He then turned towards May. "So I came to tell you that I'm starting my Pokemon journey. I wanted to say goodbye to you, since it will be awhile until I pass through here again."_

_"There you go, always in a hurry, you've been talking about going on your Pokemon journey for as long as I remember. You must be excited, right?"_

_"Hell yeah! This is the most exciting week of my life! I left a few days ago, and I'm on my way to Rustboro City to challenge the first gym there."_

_"Good luck!"_

_"Thanks. I'm gonna have to go soon, though."_

_"You're leaving already? You just got here!" Don't you think you could stay for a little while?"_

_"Sorry, but I want to at least make it through Route 104 by nightfall. I'll see you later."_

_"Oh, well good bye then." May said sadly, closing the distance between the two. _

_"Good bye, I'll see you when I challenge your dad in a few months, okay?"_

_May then hugged her best friend. "Okay. You'll keep in touch, right?" She asked, a sad tone in her voice. _

_"Yeah, I promise." Jake reassured her, returning the gesture. After a few minutes, Jake finally pulled himself free of May's grip._

_"Bye!" He said._

_"Bye!" May replied, a hint of sadness in her voice._

_He then walked out, sending out Blazer again. "I'm gonna miss her," he said dejectedly, before walking off. He headed out towards Route 104, when he heard a sound behind him. He turned around, seeing a Ralts. _

_"Hey, is that the same Ralts from before?" He asked. The Ralts nodded. She then sent an image into his mind using telepathy. _

_"So you wanna come with me?"_

_Again, the Ralts nodded. _

_Alright then, Blazer, get in there!"_

_His starter happily complied, eager for a rematch. _

_"Let's start out with Ember!"_

_Blazer sent out dozens of small flames from his beak. Many of them struck their target, dealing damage. The Ralts retaliated by Growling at Blazer, causing him to cower. _

_"Don't give in! Use another Ember! Followed by Peck!_

_Blazer complied, sending out more flames from his beak. He used them as a distraction, coming in close and rapidly striking the Ralts with his elongated beak. This proved to be too much, and the Feeling Pokemon fainted. Jake threw a Pokeball, and after a few tense moments, the capture was complete._

_He held the ball in the air. "I caught a Ralts!" He yelled, excited about his new Pokemon. He then pulled out his PokeDex and scanned the ball._

_"This Ralts is a female. Her attacks are Confusion and Growl." It stated in its robotic voice. _

_"I think I'll call you Grace." Jake said, before continuing on his way, face beaming with delight. Blazer happily followed right behind him. _

* * *

"Wow. So on the same day you came to say goodbye to me, you caught your first Pokemon?" May asked redundantly.

"Yep! Grace was my first catch. To this day, she remains one of my strongest battlers."

"Wait a minute, what ever happened to you keeping in touch with me?" May demanded. "You promised me that you'd keep in touch, and you never did!"

Jake felt a sweat drop form on his neck. "Uhh, sorry? I guess I got all caught up in my training. Besides, when I _did_ call, I found out that you had left to travel with Ash. It wasn't until two days ago that I was able to see you again."

"You're lucky that you're cute when you're nervous," May said playfully.

"Uh I guess?" Jake stammered, not knowing what to say.

"Relax, our food's here, so let's eat!" May exclaimed, taking a bite of her dish.

"So," Jake said, swallowing a bite of his food. "How about the story of your first capture? Who was it?"

"It was my Beautifly. I caught her as a Wurmple after learning that they evolve into Beautifly."

* * *

_May, Ash, Max and Brock were all walking along a path, when suddenly a Wurmple dropped down from above. _

_"What's that?" Ash asked, pulling out his PokeDex. _

_"Oh wow, it's a Wurmple!" Max exclaimed._

_Ash scanned the Wurmple in his PokeDex. _

_"Wurmple, __he Worm Pokémon. Wurmple live primarily off of sap from trees. The suction cups on its feet keep it from slipping," The robotic voice said._

_"Hey May, don't Wurmple evolve into Beautifly?" Max asked. _

_"I think so. I'm gonna catch it! After all, it is kinda cute! Go Pokeball!" She shouted, throwing a Pokeball. _

_The ball shook, before Wurmple reemerged. _

_"May!" Ash exclaimed. "You gotta battle it first!"_

_"Oh yeah," she replied. When she looked back over, the Wurmple was running off into the bushes. _

_"Hey guys," Brock said. "Why don't we all stop for lunch?"_

_"You all can stop for lunch, I'm gonna go catch that Wurmple!" May exclaimed before running off. _

_She trailed the bug type to a dirt road, when she suddenly heard shouting from ahead. _

_"Get out of the way Twerp!" A red headed lady shouted. _

_"Yeah, you better start running!" Added a blue haired man. _

_"Dere's a buncha Beedrill headin dis way!" Screamed a talking Meowth. _

_"Team Rocket!" May exclaimed, before seeing the swarm of Beedrill behind them. She started running out of fear. "Why am I getting dragged into this!? I didn't even do anything!" She screamed, running for her life. _

_"Shut up and run!"_

_The four continued running, until suddenly they fell off a bank! The trailing Beedrill continued in a straight line, oblivious that their prey had dropped below. _

_When they finally gathered their bearings, Team Rocket jumped up and started reciting their motto. _

_"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie exclaimed. _

_"And make it double!" James added. _

_"To protect—"_

_"There's Wurmple!" May interrupted, before running off. _

_"Hey, no one interrupts us like that!" Jessie yelled, trailing May. Her two companions quickly followed suit. _

_May had finally cornered Wurmple, so she sent out her Torchic. "Torchic, let's go!" She exclaimed, throwing out a Pokeball. The small orange fire type appeared. _

_"Seviper, get in there!" Jessie yelled, sending out her poison snake._

_"Hey! I saw Wurmple first!" May yelled, anger starting to swell up in her face. _

_"So what?" Jessie retorted. _

_"So I should be the one to catch Wurmple!"_

_"I don't think so! James, call out your Cacnea!"_

_"But—" James argued. _

_"Now!"_

_"Okay, Cacnea, let's go!"_

_A small green cactus like Pokemon appeared. It immediately turned around and gave James a prickly hug. _

_Both Pokemon gained up on Torchic, when suddenly out of nowhere a Heracross appeared, blocking the two advancing Pokemon. _

_"Heracross, Fury Attack!" A voice shouted. _

_The Stag Beetle Pokemon complied, and his horn glowed white, before rapidly striking the two Pokemon. The two crashed into Team Rocket, sending them blasting off. _

_"Thanks." May said. _

_"No problem. Two on one isn't fair. My name's Franklin." Franklin replied. _

_"I'm May. I'm trying to catch a Wurmple."_

_"I could help you if you want."_

_"Really? You'd help me?"_

_"Sure, as a park ranger, it's my job to help people. I know a spot where Wurmple run rampant, come on!"_

_"Okay," May said, before following Franklin. _

_The two walked through the forest, before coming up to a towering cliff. _

_"Come on, it's just up here!" Franklin said. _

_"Up there?"_

_"Yeah, come on, don't be scared. I'll be right here."_

_"Okay!"_

_The two started climbing the cliff. About halfway up, May's foot slipped and she started, to fall, screaming. _

_"Gotcha!" Franklin said, catching her hand with his. He pulled her up to a safer spot. _

_"Thanks," May said weakly. _

_"Don't mention it."_

_They finally got up the cliff, when Franklin mentioned how hungry he was. _

_"Hey look, Pecha Berries!" May exclaimed. She then climbed up the tree, knocking a few down. "Here, have some!"_

_"Thanks."_

_The two ate Pecha berries, before Franklin noticed a Wurmple. _

_"Hey, there's a Wurmple! Go try and catch it!"_

_"Alright, Torchic, lets go catch that Wurmple!" She exclaimed, sending out her starter. _

_Torchic popped out, before slamming into Wurmple. _

_"Alright, go pokeball!" May shouted, throwing a red and white sphere. The ball struck the bug type, sucking it inside. After a few tense moment, it popped out. _

_"May, try an Ember attack. It's super effective!" Franklin encouraged. _

_"Okay then, Torchic, use Ember!"_

_Torchic opened her beak, sending out dozens of small flames, striking the bug type. This caught the Wurmple by, surprise, and it fainted. _

_"Now, go Pokeball!"_

_May threw a second Pokeball, and this time a ping was heard, signifying a completed capture._

_"Alright, I caught a Wurmple!"_

* * *

"Wow. That's pretty exciting," Jake commented.

"Yeah, I was thrilled when I heard the ping! It's definitely one of the most satisfying sounds out there." May replied.

"I hear ya. What happened next?"

"Me and Franklin returned to the group. It turns out that he had a twin brother! Anyways, Team Rocket attempted to steal Wurmple from me, but we foiled their plans once again."

"God, I hate Team Rocket. I'll never forget the two hardest weeks of my life because of them." Jake stated angrily.

"Relax, I'm sure that you're so powerful now, that even the boss of Team Rocket would be scared of you!" May said sweetly, trying to ease the tension.

Jake smiled. "Thanks May, you always know what to say to bring me to a better mood. It's one of your best qualities."

May smiled back. "Anything to see that cute smile of yours."

The couple continued eating, making small talk in the process. When they were done eating, Jake footed the bill and they walked back to the hotel hand in hand. When they got back to their rooms, they decided to head in early, as Jake had a big day tomorrow.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jake said, pulling May into a hug.

"See ya," she replied, returning the gesture.

"Good night!" Jake said, walking into his room.

"Good night," May replied, walking into her own room.

Jake slung his bag on the bed, before starting to get ready for bed.

"Man, today was awesome!" He exclaimed.

"Eevee! Eev eev."

"Oh come on, you were there the whole time. You know nothing out of the ordinary happened tonight." Jake replied, walking into the bathroom. He began his nightly routine. Ten minutes later, he walked out, ready for bed. He looked at the clock, which read 8:30.

"Man, I'm crashing in early. Oh well, I gotta get up early anyways." He said to himself. Eevee hopped up onto the bed, making himself comfortable in Jake's arms.

"Vui!" He cooed, before drifting off to sleep.

"Goodnight Eevee," Jake replied, thinking about the day's events. Fifteen minutes later, he was fast asleep.

* * *

**So there you have it. A longer chapter than usual, but like I said, I had four days to write this. Mostly shipping filler, but it's revealed how Jake caught Grace, as well as another one of his Pokémon. Please tell me how the beach scene went, I tried to make it a bit emotional, so I'm not sure how well it was written. As for the Poke speak, thatll be a rarity. I only included it to give a heads up to what was going on, that's it. The scene of where May caught Wurmple is completely canon, with a few edits here and there from the actual dialogue from the episode. I don't know if I'll have a chapter up tomorrow, but next chapter will be the first half of the day of Jake's double battles. As for OC's, im not gonna accept them after next week, so if you have a character that you want to appear, send them in! that aside, please R&R!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 Everyone!**

* * *

Jake woke up, turning his head and looking at the clock. Upon seeing that it was 8:30, he decided to get ready for the day. Eevee felt his friend stirring, causing him to open his eyes.

"Sorry bud, did I wake you? You can go back to sleep if you want. I need to get ready for the day. I'll wake you up when I'm ready to go."

"Vui!" Eevee cooed, before drifting back off to sleep.

"Alright, shower, head down to breakfast, brush my teeth, wake Eevee up, switch out my Pokémon." Jake listed the things he had to do before the day started. "Then go see if May is up and if Max wants to see my battles. After that, I gotta figure out who I'm gonna use for the other two battles today. Four double battles in one day. Man, I'm gonna be wiped after that. Then again, when I was on the road, I was training nonstop. One of the many benefits of traveling alone. I wonder how things will change when I start traveling with May once the tournament is over?" Jake was talking to himself, getting ready for the day. He showered, then got dressed in his black gym shorts and gray t-shirt, knowing that it was gonna be hot all day long. Although he travelled light, he always kept a few different outfits in his bag, to deal with different weather conditions. He then walked down to the cafeteria to eat breakfast. He finished up fifteen minutes later, and walked back into his room to find an Eevee who was awake and ready to go.

"I guess I didn't have to wake you up after all! Come on, I gotta go switch out a few for today's battles." Jake said, holding out his arm.

"Vui!" Eevee said, hopping up onto Jake's arm and resting on his shoulder. Jake then walked out the door, only to bump into Max.

"Hey Max."

"Oh, hey Jake. I was just heading off to eat."

"Is May still sleeping?" Jake asked.

"Yeah. Don't expect her to get up for a while. She came back last night all dreamy eyed, and didn't fall asleep until ten!" Max replied, giving Jake a look.

"Are you gonna come and watch my battles today?"

"Perhaps, if I have the time."

"Drop the cool guy act, you don't have to impress me you know."

"Okay. But yeah, I planned on seeing you battle. I wanna learn a thing or two if I can."

"Smart choice, I'll see you later. I'm gonna make a few exchanges at the Pokémon Center."

"Okay, I'll see you later then," Max replied.

The two went their separate ways, with Jake walking to the Pokémon Center. He walked inside, greeted Nurse Joy, and immediately went over to the video phones.

"Time to make a call to Professor Birch!" he said, dialing a number. A few seconds later, a rather large man appeared.

"Jake! Eevee! How are you guys?" Professor Birch asked.

"Good, I just called to let you know that I'm in the qualifiers!"

"So I've heard! I knew someone with your talent could make it. The double battles start today, right?"

"Yep. I'm gonna need a few Pokémon from you."

"Sure. Who do you want?"

"I need to exchange Talon for Maverick, and Blade for Pharaoh right now. Later I'll probably call for Juggernaut, Shockwave, and Flare."

"Alright, I'll send them right over. I'll try and see if I can catch your matches on TV later."

"Thanks Professor."

"No problem!"

Once Jake had gotten his Pokémon, he thanked the professor once more and hung up. He then walked back to the hotel to make the final preparations for the day, and to see if May was up yet.

* * *

"You all ready to go?" Jake asked. He was inside May and Max's room, having been invited in.

"Yeah, I just need my fanny pack, then we can go." May replied.

"Come on sis, you're always holding people up!" Max complained.

"Shut it."

"Alright enough arguing you two," Jake cut in.

"There!" May said, strapping on her hip pack to her waist. "I'm ready to go! She exclaimed.

"Finally!" Max said, an annoyed look on his face.

The trio walked out of the room, heading down to the lobby and out the door to the stadium.

"I already know who you're gonna use the first round, but who are you gonna use the second round?" May asked.

"Maverick and Blazer." Jake replied.

"Just out of curiosity, why?" Max asked.

"Because, they have exceptional teamwork together. I've been training the two for double battles together for a few years now."

"Speaking of training, how come you haven't been training since the tournament started?" May asked.

"Tournaments are sort of my free time, if you will. Although I do train, I spend most of my time relaxing during tournaments because beforehand, I spend weeks, even months training for them. Once I'm there, I take it battle by battle. Plus I don't want my Pokémon to be worn out before they battle. That was one of the reasons why I was concerned with Blazer and your Blaziken sparring yesterday; he usually gets really intense."

"You're serious about this aren't you?" Max asked.

"Battling Pokémon is my life. I plan on doing this for a living. Most people after one or two leagues quit, so they can pursue other careers. Not me. I enjoy every moment of being a trainer. Nothing beats getting stronger and strengthening the bond between my Pokémon and I in the process," Jake explained passionately.

"Are you sure that's your _whole_ life?" May asked coyly.

"Of course, I can make accommodations," Jake replied, smiling.

"That's better." May said, also smiling.

They had arrived at the stadium, and Jake had fifteen minutes before his battle started.

"I'm gonna head into the trainers' room. Can you watch Eevee for me?" Jake asked May.

"Of course! Come on Eevee, let's go get some good seats before they fill up!" May said, holding out her arms.

"Vui!" He cooed, finding a comfortable spot on her shoulder.

"Good luck!" Max said.

"Thanks Max," Jake replied.

"Good luck!" May exclaimed. She then gave Jake a quick peck on the cheek, causing him to blush heavily and stutter.

"Th-thanks," he replied meekly.

"Ugh. How can you stand my sister?" Max asked.

"Can it boy," May said. "Come on, let's go find some seats.

The two walked off, leaving Jake standing there. Finally, after a minute of not moving, he came back to his senses. _Why do I always freeze up when she kisses me on the cheek like that?_ Jake wondered. He began walking towards the trainer's room. Once he got inside, he pulled out two Pokeballs, releasing his Gardevoir and Gallade. The two Pokémon looked fondly at each other, before giving their attention to their trainer.

"Alright, I've looked up my opponent, and it turns out it's the guy I ran into on the boat ride over here. I beat him in a practice battle, and he didn't take to kindly to me beating him. So watch out, he might try and take it out on you two. He battles using brute strength, so just do what you two do best, and you'll be fine. Plus he's a fighting type expert, so you have the type advantage. All in all, watch each other's backs, and have fun." Jake said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

His two psychic types nodded, reassuring their trainer. Using telepathy, they asked why he was so nervous.

"Heh, I should've guessed that you'd figure out I'm not myself. Truth is, I don't know. It might be because I have a younger trainer now looking up to me, but more importantly, I now have a girlfriend who's cheering me on. I'm new to the whole dating thing, and I still get nervous around her. I know I shouldn't, but I hide it as best as I can. I guess it's just rubbing off into this. Don't worry, I'll be fine. This isn't anything I haven't done before. You ready to go?"

They both nodded, and a bell could be heard, signaling Jake to go out to the field.

"Alright, time to do this!" He said, his demeanor quickly changing from a more nervous one to an excited one. "Return guys." He held out the Pokeballs, recalling the two Pokémon. He then clipped them to his belt, walking out to the field. He walked out, and noticed that quite a large crowd had gathered to watch the tournament. He dismissed this as people wanting to see the Hoenn League victor in action, but he wasn't sure. He looked around, and finally spotted May and Max. Even though he couldn't hear them, he saw May excited, which gave him the boost in confidence he needed.

He stepped into the trainer's box, eyeing over his opponent. There stood Jim, the man he had beaten on the ferry. He gave Jake a menacing glare, obviously intent on revenge. The referee spoke up, drawing their attention.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Jim Rogers of Oldale Town. Each trainer will use two Pokémon at the same time, and the match is over when both of one trainer's Pokémon cannot continue battling. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. The winner moves on, and the loser is knocked out of the tournament. This match will be held on a grass field. Are both trainers ready?" The ref asked, eager to start the battle.

"Yes," Jake said.

"I'm ready," Jim replied, a menacing look on his face.

"Both trainers will send out their two Pokémon at the same time at my command." The ref said. At this, the growing crowd roared in excitement.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, throwing up his flags, signaling the start of the battle.

"Grace, Blade, engage!" Jake shouted, throwing out two Pokeballs. The Embrace Pokémon and the Blade Pokémon emerged, exchanging quick glances at each other, before looking at their opponents.

On the other side of the field, Jim was calling out his Pokémon.

"Sawk, Infernape, let's roll!" he shouted, sending out his Pokémon. The Karate Pokémon and the Flame Pokémon appeared, staring down their opponents.

Jim made the first move. "Sawk, Stone Edge on Gardevoir. Infernape, Flame Wheel on Gallade!"

"Send them back with Psychic. Hit Infernape back with Psycho Cut!" Jake retaliated.

Sawk summoned three rings of stones around his body, before firing them at Grace. Her eyes glowed white, and the same glow enveloped the stones. She then used her mind to send them flying back at Sawk, dealing damage. Meanwhile, Infernape quickly covered his body with flames, then spun rapidly over towards Blade. Blade elongated the blades on his elbows, glowing with a blue energy, and held them in front of his body. When Infernape reached him, Blade uncrossed his blades, sending the flaming monkey staggering back.

"Infernape, Flamethrower on Gardevoir. Sawk, use Payback on Gardevoir!" Jim shouted.

_There's no way Blade will let Grace go thought that. I just need a way to get them both out of danger_ Jake thought to himself.

"Grace, direct that Flamethrower towards Sawk. Blade, standby!"

As Blade was ready to move as he saw fit, Grace's eyes once again glowed white. She used her Psychic to try and redirect the flames at Sawk, who was busy summoning a black energy from his body, directing it at Grace. She was struggling, as the fire type attack was stronger than she anticipated. Sawk fired the energy towards her. She was preoccupied, and she didn't make a move to dodge the attack because of it. Upon seeing this, Blade stepped in, taking the full force of the attack, protecting his mate from damage. Grace saw this, giving her a boost of confidence, and sent an even stronger wave of psychic energy, finally pushing the flames into Sawk, causing him to lose his focus. Both attacks subsided quickly, with the three fighting types panting heavily. Gallade's low defense, as well as the increased power of payback, took its toll on the Blade Pokémon.

"Both of you, Close Combat on Gallade! Finish him off!" Jim shouted, trying to go for a quick knockout.

"Grace, Psyshock on Sawk. Blade, Detect!"

Grace surprised Sawk by summoning three orbs of psychic energy and shooting them at him. This caused him to lose focus on his attack, and he turned his attention to Grace. Infernape was upon Blade in a flash, and started to repeatedly strike Blade. However, he was able to avoid each and every hit using Detect. Once he sensed a let up, he performed a Low Sweep, kicking Infernape's legs out from under him.

"Psycho Cut!" Jake shouted, trying to press his advantage.

Blade then quickly extended his blades, covered in a blue energy, and quickly swiped at the downed Infernape, knocking him out.

"Infernape is unable to battle, this match will now continue as a two on one!" The ref shouted. The crowd roared in response, cheering on the two psychic types.

"Infernape return!" Jim shouted angrily, recalling his fire type. "Sawk, use Retaliate on Gardevoir now!"

Sawk immediately shot forward towards Grace, giving her no time to dodge. Once again, Blade protected her, teleporting in front of her and taking the hit. The powered up attack, along with previous damage, proved to be too much. Blade looked up at his mate, smiled at her, then fainted.

"Gallade is unable to continue battling. This match is now a one on one between Gardevoir and Sawk!" The ref shouted. Again, the crowd erupted into cheers at the knock out.

"Blade return," Jake said, recalling the fighting type back into his Pokeball. _Alright, one on one. Grace has a four times resistance to fighting type attacks, so she should be relatively safe, I just have to play her smart_ Jake took a deep breath, looking up into the crowd. He saw May shouting something, but couldn't hear her. However, seeing her cheer for him like this gave him the boost in confidence he needed, before returning his gaze to the battlefield. He took another deep breath, before making his move.

"Grace, clear your mind with Calm Mind!"

"Swords Dance while she's distracted!"

Grace took a deep breath, clearing her mind of the various thoughts running through her head, closing her eyes. On the other side of the field, Sawk surrounded his body with a pink energy, dancing frantically and raising his attack in the process.

"Poison Jab!" Jim shouted.

"Stop him with Psychic. Send him flying!" Jake retaliated.

Sawk charged towards Grace, his fist glowing purple. Grace's eyes glowed white, and just before he reached her, Sawk became enveloped in a white energy. She lifted her opponent off the ground, and sent him flying across the field. He crashed into the ground, struggling to his feet.

"Come on! Use Payback!" Jim shouted angrily.

"Grace, finish with Dazzling Gleam!" Jake commanded, wanting to put Sawk out of his misery.  
Sawk was clearly struggling. However, through either pure determination, or pure hatred, he sent out a massive black energy at Grace. She retaliated by glowing pink, and sending a bright light straight at Sawk. The two attacks collided in the middle, causing a massive explosion in the center of the field. Both Jake and Jim, as well as the referee, had to shield their eyes from the dust. When it finally cleared, Sawk was seen out cold on the ground. On the other side of the field, Grace was standing there gracefully, albeit heavily damaged.

"Sawk is unable to battle, Gardevoir is the winner and Jake moves on to the second round!" The ref announced. The crowd cheered in response.

Jake smiled. "Thank you Grace, you were exceptional out there," he said, recalling her.

On the other side of the field, Jim was doing his best to contain his anger. He recalled the Karate Pokémon and looked up at Jake. "Good match kid," he said, before walking off.  
Jake had a content smile on his face, knowing that he had earned the respect of his opponent. He started walking off the field, going into the trainers' room. When he got there, he found May and Max waiting for him, Eevee on May's shoulder.

"That was an awesome match!" Max exclaimed. The teamwork between those two was exceptional!"

"Thanks Max, I'm sure they're appreciative of your praise too." Jake said. He then turned towards May, who finally spoke up.

"That was a great match! I'm proud of you!" She exclaimed, enveloping him in a hug.

"Thanks," Jake replied meekly, returning the gesture. The two held each other for a few moments, enjoying each other's company.

"Eeew!" Max said, turning his head. "How can you hug my sister like that?"

Instead of replying, the two teens simply ignored him, continuing to hold each other in their arms. They finally let go, although reluctantly.

"I have an hour to kill before I gotta be back here for my second match, what do you wanna do?" Jake asked May.

"We could walk around a bit, maybe get a snack or something," she replied.

"Sounds good!" Jake said, taking May's hand.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds alone for the time being, I'll be back in time to catch your second match Jake!" Max said, before running off.

"Wait, where are you going?" May called out.

"Away from you two!" Max called back. A few seconds later, he was gone from sight.

"What's up with him?" Jake asked.

"I don't think he likes the fact that his older sister has a boyfriend," May replied.

"Okay," Jake replied, shaking his head clear of thoughts. "I know where there's a place that sells hot dogs, you want one?"

"I'd love one!" May exclaimed. Just thinking about the food got her mouth drooling.

"Uhh, your mouth is drooling," Jake commented.

"Oh, sorry. Come on, let's go!"

* * *

"Thank you, have a nice day!" The shop keeper said.

"You too!" Jake replied, two hot dogs in hand. He and May walked over to find a table, and he gave her one of the hot dogs once they sat down.

"So Maverick and Blazer, you said that you've been training them together for double battles for years? Do you train specific pairs then?" May asked.

"Yeah, I figured out long ago that training two Pokémon to battle together is a hell of a lot easier than just picking two random Pokémon and hoping that they have good synergy together."

"Don't people expect that though? I mean once people figure out who you use, aren't you at a disadvantage?" May asked.

"Not necessarily. It's just like single battles. People who face me know _who_ I'm gonna use more than likely, but not _how_ I'll use them."  
"Are you sure about that?" May inquired, a little worried about his overconfidence.

"I haven't lost a double battle in two years. They're kind of my specialty."

"If you say so. Come on, let's finish eating so you don't miss your match."

"Hold on, I wanna see who my opponent is first." Jake pulled out his Pokenav, and started typing. He then started scrolling, and finally stopped on a name. "Huh, it says that this guy, Marcus Alberts, used to be the defending Hoenn Champion."

"What Pokémon does he have?"

"He has a bunch. Says here his starter was a Mudkip, which is now a Swampert. I'd assume he'd use him against me, I just want to figure out who else he's gonna use."

"He'd probably go with something that can counter your Garchomp, so a steel, ice, dragon, or fairy type." May replied.

"Both Maverick and Blazer are super effective against steel types, so Metagross, Ferrothorn, and Aggron are out of the question."

"What about Ice types?"

"His only two Ice types are Walrein and Glalie. Both are really slow, so I doubt he'd use them. As for other Dragons, he has a Salamence and Kindgra. Kingdra is at a **huge** disadvantage if there's no water, so he's out of the question."

"What about Salamence?" May asked.

"He's definitely a possibility, I just want to see what fairy types he has. Hmm. Azumarill, Aromatisse, and Clefable." Jake listed.

"Based on that, I think it'll be either Azumarill or Salamence."

"I think you're right. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"For helping me figure this out."

"You could've figured it out yourself you know."

"Maybe, but it's more enjoyable when I'm with someone else. Come on, I got fifteen minutes before the match starts." Jake said.

Both May and Jake got up from the table and headed out the door, holding hands. They made some more small talk, until it was time for the match to start.

"Alright, I gotta go. You'll hold Eevee for me right?"

"Of course! Come on Eevee," May said, allowing him to climb up onto her shoulder. He immediately snuggled up to her.

"You know, I think Eevee is starting to like me more!" she teased.

"Not in a million years! Right bud?" Jake asked the normal type.

"Vui!" He cooed, once again snuggling up to May.

"Wow. Really? I see how it is." Jake pouted, pretending to be angry, causing May and Eevee to giggle. "Anyways, I gotta go."

"Good luck!" May said. Once again, she gave him a peck on the cheek, causing the same reaction as before.

"Th-thanks." Jake stuttered. _Why the hell do I always freeze up when she does that?_ he wondered, walking into the trainers' room.

Jake sat down on one of the benches, pulling two Pokeballs off his belt. He released his two Pokémon, revealing a Garchomp and a shiny Blaziken.

"Alright guys, this is gonna be a hard battle for us. This guy was the Hoenn league winner the year before I was, so he definitely knows what he's doing. I have a feeling he's gonna use his Swampert and either Azumarill or Salamence, so be on your toes. Focus, and we can win this."

His two Pokémon nodded, and immediately perked up once the bell rang.

"Alright return," Jake said, recalling the two Pokémon. He walked out, and saw an even bigger crowd than the first match. He looked around, but couldn't spot May.

"I guess two Hoenn champs is too much to pass up," he said to himself, disappointed that he couldn't find his girlfriend in the stands.

On the other side of the field was a trainer who looked to be in his late teens. He was also looking up into the crowd, but was waving at it as well. He noticed Jake, and stopped waving, looking at him.

"So you're this year's winner, huh?" He asked.

"Yep. Prepare yourself for the battle of your life. I don't plan on losing this one." Jake replied.

"Oh I've prepared. You're gonna be in for a shock." Marcus said confidently.

Before they could say anything else, the ref cut in.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Marcus Alberts of Mauville City. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to battle. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. The winner moves on, and the loser goes home. Are you both ready?"

Jake and Marcus nodded, determination in their eyes.

"Both trainers will send out their Pokémon at the same time on my mark. This match will be held on a dirt battlefield."

Both trainers grabbed their two Pokeballs from their belt, eager to begin.

The ref raised his flags, signaling the start of the match.

"Blazer, Maverick, engage!" Jake shouted, throwing his two Pokeballs.

A shiny Blaziken and a Garchomp appeared.

On the other side, Marcus sent out his Pokémon.

"Swampert, Salamence, let's go!"

The Dragon Pokémon and the Mud Fish Pokémon appeared, ready for battle. Salamence immediately took to the air.

_As expected. Let's start out fast_ "Maverick, into the air! Quick Attack on Salamence! Blazer, stand by!" He commanded.

"Salamence, hit Garchomp with a Dragon Claw! Swampert, Water Gun on Blaziken!" He countered.

Maverick leaped into the air and immediately shot forward towards Salamence in a streak of light. He made contact, and narrowly dodged the glowing claws of his opponent. Meanwhile, Swampert sent a jet of water at Blazer. He jumped up, easily dodging the attack.

"Maverick, Earthquake. Blazer, Double Kick!" Jake shouted.

"Salamence, hit Garchomp with a Dragon Rush! Swampert, send that Blaziken flying with a Focus Punch!"

Maverick landed forcefully on the ground, causing the earth to shake. This caused Swampert to stumble briefly, which took his attention away from Blazer, who landed on Swampert's face, delivering two kicks in quick succession. Swampert was unable to make a Focus Punch, due to being attacked. Salamence shot forward at Maverick in a streak of blue light, turning his body into a bullet. Maverick was unable to dodge, so he took the full force of the attack.

"Maverick, Crunch on Salamence, you know what to do! Blazer, Flamethrower on Swampert!"

"Get away from that Garchomp! Use Hydro Pump on Blaziken. Same goes for you, Swampert!"

Maverick shot towards Salamence, taking initiative and using a Quick Attack to catch up to the fleeing dragon. He got behind him and crunched down on his neck, causing a roar of pain. Swampert was busy sending a blast of water at Blazer, who was spewing flames from his mouth. The two attacks met in the middle, and steam covered the center of the field. It quickly spread throughout the entire stadium, and no one could see a thing.

"Maverick, switch to Ice Fang!" Jake shouted.

"Get him off of you!" Marcus yelled.

Another roar of pain was heard from inside the steam, followed by a loud thud. Both trainers knew that Salamence had fainted, but they couldn't see him, so Marcus couldn't recall him.

"Maverick, blow that steam away the best you can! Blazer, stand by!" Jake commanded.

"As soon as the steam clears, fire an Ice Beam at Garchomp!"

The steam started clearing around Maverick, revealing him to be flapping his "wings" furiously. The steam cleared a little more, revealing the fallen Salamence. Out of nowhere, a beam of ice aimed straight at Maverick struck him, causing him to plummet towards the ground, one of his wings frozen in place. He tried to pull up, but ended up crash landing. He was down, but not out.

"Cloud yourself with the steam and use Fire Fang to melt that ice! Blazer, keep an eye out!"

"Find that Blaziken and take him out with a Hydro Pump!"

Maverick disappeared into the steam, which was starting to clear up, and apparently unfroze his arm. Blazer, still unseen, was alert and ready to dodge the inevitable attack. Swampert did his best to find Blazer, and whenever he thought he saw him, he would release a Hydro Pump. Salamence was still on the ground unconscious.

Finally, after five minutes of non-action, the steam cleared up. Salamence was still unconscious, so the ref made his call.

"Salamence is unable to battle! This match will continue as a two on one!"

Marcus recalled his fallen dragon type, and immediately gave a command. "Ice Beam on Garchomp!"

"Counter with Flamethrower. Blazer, help him out!"

"Swampert opened his mouth and shot a beam of ice at Maverick, who opened his mouth to spew flames. The attacks met in the middle, and steam started to form again. Blazer also unleashed a Flamethrower, quickly overpowering the Ice Beam. Swampert then did something unexpected. He raised his fists, and slammed them into the ground, causing an earthquake. Blazer leaped high into the air to dodge it, but Maverick was too slow, due to previous damage, so he took the full force of the attack.

_Wow. It takes a __**lot**__ of trust for a Pokémon to take advantage of the situation and attack on their own like that. This guy is __**good**_ Jake thought to himself.

"Maverick, Earth Power. Blazer, Sky Uppercut!" Jake yelled.

"Retaliate with Mud Shot on Garchomp. Then finish him off with another Ice Beam!" Marcus commanded.

Maverick slammed his foot on the ground, causing it to split. The ground continued to split until it reached Swampert, when a yellow energy formed, dealing damage. Swampert spewed dozens of globs of mud at Maverick, causing him to lose focus, thus ending his attack. Swampert then unleashed another Ice Beam at Maverick, striking him head on. This was the final straw, and Maverick collapsed. Before anyone could move, Blazer charged in, fist glowing, and hit Swampert, sending him flying into the air.

"Garchomp is unable to battle, this match will continue as a one on one!" The ref shouted. The crowd roared in response, but quickly turned their eyes to the airborne water type.

Recalling Maverick, Jake gave another command. "Slam him into the ground with Blaze Kick!"

"Slow your descent with Water Gun!"

Blazer leapt up into the air using his powerful legs, aiming just above the falling Swampert. Once he got the right angle, his foot went ablaze, and he somersaulted in the air, striking Swampert in the back, sending him flying into the ground. Swampert shot a jet of water at the ground to try and slow his descent, but he was falling too fast and hit the ground with a loud thud, kicking up dust. When it cleared, Swampert slowly stood up, glowing in blue.

"Shit. Blazer might not be able to withstand a water type attack with Torrent activated," Jake said to himself. "Rock Tomb, followed by Earthquake! Be prepared to dodge his attack!"

"Hit them with a Hydro Pump! Then redirect it at Blaziken!"

Blazer stomped on the ground, causing rocks to trap Swampert in place. He then leaped into the air, preparing to slam into the ground and finish Swampert off. Swampert blasted himself free with the powered up Hydro Pump. Once free, he aimed at the falling Blaziken. As soon as Blazer noticed the water aimed at him, he broke off the attack and swiftly dodged it.

_How the hell did he get so fucking fast? He should be slowing down! Not speeding up! Unless...Shit!_ Marcus said mentally, coming to a realization.

"That Blaziken's ability is Speed Boost! Watch out!" He cried, warning his starter.

"So you've figured it out. I guess eventually the cat had to be let out of the bag eventually. Blaze Rush, followed by Close Combat!"

"Hit him back with Superpower!"

Blazer covered his body in flames, before shooting towards his opponent. He stopped right before crashing into the water type, and immediately switched to a flurry of Sky Uppercuts and Double Kicks. The Mud Fish Pokémon defended himself the best he could with powerful punches, but Blazer's expertise in martial arts triumphed, allowing him to avoid the blows with ease. He then found an opening, and tripped the water type with a Low Kick. Swampert fell, and was struggling to stand on all fours.

"Finish with Mega Kick!"

Blazer's foot glowed white, and he swung it at the struggling Swampert, sending him flying back in front of his trainer, knocked out cold.

"Swampert is unable to battle, Blaziken is the winner and the match goes to Jake Smith of Littleroot Town!" The ref announced. The crowd roared in response, excited at the final knockout.

"Great job Blazer!" Jake said, recalling his starter.

On the other side of the field, Marcus was recalling his fallen starter, saying a few words of gratitude. Both he and Jake walked to the middle of the field to shake hands.

"Great battle, I can see why you won the Hoenn League." Marcus said, holding out his hand.  
Shaking it, Jake replied. "Thanks. That Swampert of yours is really powerful."

"He's nothing compared to your Blaziken. He's somethin' else." Marcus replied. "I'm glad that I lost to you, I wish you luck in Driftveil." At that, he walked away.

Jake turned around and headed to the trainer's room, a triumphant look on his face. _Two down, two to go_ he said mentally.

As he walked in, he was greeted by the two siblings and Eevee.

"That was awesome! I never knew that your Blaziken's ability is Speed Boost!" Max exclaimed.

"Thanks." Jake replied.

"I thought that Blaziken could only have Blaze as their ability. Just like water types get Torrent and grass types get Overgrow." May said.

"Have you heard of hidden abilities?" Jake asked. Both siblings shook their heads. "Some Pokémon have different abilities that were recently discovered for each species. They're incredibly rare, which is part of the reason why they're called hidden abilities. I always wondered why Blazer got faster during battle, even when he was a Torchic. I was also confused when Blaze never kicked in. It wasn't until I travelled to Unova that I finally learned about hidden abilities and that Blazer had his." Jake explained.

It was a bit much for the two to take in, but they understood it nonetheless. After a few moments of silence, May spoke up.

"So now that you've won, what are you gonna do?" May asked.

"I'm gonna get some lunch!" We can go to that diner we went to the other day. What was it, the Giant Wailord or something like that?" Jake asked.

"I think so. Come on, let's go!" Max exclaimed, leading the way.

"Right behind you!" Jake said, running to catch up with the youngest of the three. However, he felt a hand on his shoulder holding him back. He turned around to find May, staring into his eyes. "What's up?" He asked, not sure what was going on.

"I never got to properly congratulate you for winning," she said smiling.

"Oh"

"Congrats on winning!" She said. She then took Jake by surprise by leaning in. It took him a second to realize what was going on, but he figured it out and followed suit, leaning in as well. A few seconds later, they were sharing their third kiss.

"Hey, are you guys coming?" Max asked, turning around. He gasped when he saw the two kissing. "Ugh, I did _not_ need to see that." He muttered to himself, turning around and continuing to walk ahead.

The two broke off after a minute, still in a state of bliss. They looked at each other lovingly, before running ahead to catch up with Max.

* * *

**So there it is, chapter 13. Next chapter will go back to Ash and his day off. I don't have much else to say, so R&R!**


	15. Chapter 14

**So another filler chapter, so it's slightly shorter than the past few. I've decided to do something different from now on. Whenever I change from one group to the other, I'll have a short summary to refresh your mind of what had happened, since it's easy to forget where I left off. That aside, Chapter 14!**

* * *

_Summary: Ash and Brock made it to the second round of the qualifiers. Ash lost to Styles Kaizu, but managed to win the three matches needed to move on. After Ash's last battle, the trio headed off to eat dinner._

The trio of Ash, Dawn, and Brock were sitting at the table of a restaurant. Since participants could eat for free, Ash didn't waste any time ordering a huge meal. Brock and Dawn went for more modest portions, and Pikachu was contempt with licking clean the ketchup bottle. The three were deep in conversation on what they were gonna do tomorrow.

"I'm telling you Ash, tomorrow's a perfect day to go to the beach!" Dawn said, trying to convince her stubborn friend.

"But I wanna train. I have four double battles tomorrow, and I need to prepare for them," Ash countered.

"Why don't you two compromise?" Brock suggested.

"Compromise how?" The two teens asked.

"Ash, bring your Pokemon to the beach. They can get plenty of exercise, and you can have fun as well." Brock said.

"That's not a bad idea, Ash," Dawn said.

"But—"

"It's two against one, you can't win this argument."

"Alright, I'll go with you guys," Ash conceded.

"Good." Dawn said, trying her best to hide her excitement.

The group received their food, and conversed about the day's events while eating. After they had finished, they decided to head back to the hotel.

By the time they left the restaurant, the sun had already set, and the temperature dropped. Even though Kanto was near the center of the Pokemon world, north of Hoenn, but south of Sinnoh, it could get cold during the night time. This was one of those nights. Brock was ahead of Ash and Dawn, leaving them trailing behind him by several paces. A breeze started to blow, causing Dawn to shiver.

"Jeez, I'm freezing!" Dawn complained.

"Oh come on, it's not _that_ cold, it was much worse in Sinnoh," Ash responded.  
"Easy for you to say, you're wearing a sweatshirt and jeans. I'm stuck in a tank top and a skirt."

"It was your idea to change your outfit." Ash replied.

Dawn blushed slightly at the comment. "Only because you seem to like it."

"Just because I like something doesn't mean you have to change," Ash said.

_There he goes again, completely missing the hint._ "Oh Ash, when will you ever learn?" She asked aloud, purposely allowing him to hear her.

"Learn what?" He wondered, not knowing what was going on.

"My point exactly," she muttered.

The two continued to walk, choosing to remain in silence.

They finally arrived at the hotel, and the three went straight into their room. Since it was 9:30, everyone decided to get ready for bed, Dawn going into the bathroom to get ready first.

Once she was inside, Ash spoke up. "Hey Brock, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure what's up?"

"I kinda want to go outside. I don't want Dawn to hear this conversation."

"Okay," Brock said, a little confused at Ash's request.

The two walked outside into the hallway, shutting the door, making sure to take a key with them just in case.

After a few moments of silence, Brock spoke up. "I'm assuming this has something to do with Dawn? What's on your mind?"

"Does Dawn seem a little...different to you? She seems to be acting different than she normally does."

Brock, keeping his promise, didn't say anything.

"And another thing. Both this morning and yesterday, I felt a weird feeling in my stomach when I saw her in her new outfit, am I getting sick or something?" He asked.

_Ah, so it __**is**__ true. He just doesn't know it yet_ Brock said mentally. "No Ash, you're not getting sick. I think you might be seeing Dawn in a new light." He replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you might be seeing Dawn as more than a friend." _Now let's hear his response..._

"Like best friends?"

"I mean more than best friends"

"Mega best friends?"

Brock wanted to slap Ash at that last comment. He compromised with a face palm. _Are you __**kidding**__ me? How dense can you get? This is gonna be harder than I thought. Maybe if he saw some of this romance in action, he'd catch a clue. You'd think that after seeing me go after every pretty girl I see, he'd catch a clue_

"Uh, Brock, you okay?" Ash asked, snapping Brock back to reality.

"Huh, oh yeah."

"You sure? Cuz you just slapped yourself in the face."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it, I saw a fly."

"Okay then," Ash responded, not totally convinced.

"Back to the subject at hand, is there anything else that you wanted to talk to me about?" Brock asked.

"No, that's it. I wanna get some sleep, I had a long day. Four battles in one day left me wiped. Thank Arceus that there's a day off tomorrow."

"I hear ya." Brock replied.

Ash unlocked the door and walked inside, holding the door open for Brock. He thanked Ash, then headed inside to get ready for bed. Ash followed suit, and found Dawn sitting in bed, twirling her hair. She was wearing her night clothes, having changed already. She noticed him, and looked up. Unbeknownst to the two males, she had overheard the entire conversation, and was shocked at what Ash had said. Ash noticed she wasn't her usual cheery self, so he spoke up.

"Are you okay?" He asked, a concerned tone in his voice.

"I'm fine, I'm just thinking about some things, that's all. No need to worry!" Dawn replied, trying to put on a more cheerful demeanor.

"Dawn, we've been traveling for two years together, I know when something's up."  
Not wanting to reveal her eavesdropping, Dawn was frantically trying to come up with an excuse. "I guess I'm just worried that you might not make it past the second round, that's all," she lied.

"Don't worry, I have no plans on losing." Ash replied, buying her excuse. He noticed that Brock had just finished up in the bathroom, and took it as his queue to get ready as well. He walked inside, and began changing into a t-shirt and shorts, various thoughts running through his head. He finished changing, brushed his teeth, then walked out of the bathroom to go to bed. He climbed under the covers, still deep in thought. He said goodnight to Dawn, and drifted off to sleep, with one question lingering in his mind: what did Brock mean by him seeing Dawn as more than a friend?

* * *

Ash awoke to the morning rays of the sun. He then noticed a warm feeling coming from his arm. He looked over, and it was a repeat of yesterday, Dawn was cuddling up to him, seemingly in her sleep. Once again, he felt that same feeling in his stomach.

_Why do I have this feeling again? Does it have something to do with Dawn?_ he asked himself mentally. _It always seems to happen around her. I wish I had someone to talk to about this. I mean Brock is great and all, but he was no help last night. Alls he said was that maybe I see Dawn as more than a friend, whatever that means_

Knowing that he wouldn't be able to get up without waking Dawn, Ash laid in bed, thinking about various things, most notably battle strategies for tomorrow. He did this for almost an hour, until he felt movement to the side of him. Dawn was starting to wake up, and immediately went red when she realized that she was clinging to Ash again.

_What am I doing in my sleep that I end up clinging to him?_ she wondered.

"Morning Dawn, have a nice sleep?" Ash asked.

"Y-yeah," she stuttered, her face still red. "Sorry, I don't know why I keep doing this whenever I sleep with you."

"It's fine, I don't mind. Come on, let's go get some breakfast. I wanna get a head start so we can get to the beach before it gets too crowded."

"Okay!"

The two headed out the door, careful not to wake Brock or Pikachu, so they could eat and get a head start on the day.

They walked down to the cafeteria to eat. Ash, as usual, piled his plate high with food. Dawn rolled her eyes, settling with just a bowl of cereal. They were talking about plans for the day, when Brock came down to join them.

"I thought I'd find you two here," he said.

"Yeah, we were just talking about what we're gonna do today." Dawn said.

"More like arguing. Dawn wants me to forget the training altogether, and just relax!" Ash moaned.

"Don't worry, you can relax and train. There's plenty of time in the day for both." Brock replied.

"But I need to make sure that I'm ready for tomorrow!"

"Ash, you're stressing out about this way more than you usually do, is there something on your mind?" Asked Dawn.

"No." Ash lied.

"Remember what you said last night? That you can tell when I'm lying? Well I can tell when you're lying, so spill it." Dawn said.

"Sorry, but it's personal. Maybe I _do_ need a day off..." He said, trailing off into thought.

"What's up with Ash?" Dawn whispered to Brock.

"I don't know. I've never seen him stress out before. He wasn't like this yesterday, maybe he had a bad dream?" He whispered back.

"I don't know, but we're gonna need to distract him today, let him take his mind off of things."

Finally, Ash snapped back to reality, seemingly himself again, although his eyes showed otherwise. Dawn and Brock decided not to press the manner, and they sat mostly in silence for the rest of the meal, only asking the occasional question to break the silence. They finished up and headed back up to the room to get ready for the day. Dawn went in first, and came out wearing blue shorts and a white shirt over her bikini. Brock was next, and he ended up wearing black swim trunks and a green shirt. Ash was last, and he wore a white t-shirt and red swim trunks. Once they packed their bags, the trio headed off to the beach.

* * *

"Over here guys!" Dawn exclaimed. She had run ahead of the group, excited to be able to witness the Vermilion City beach first hand.

"Slow down Dawn, wait for us!" Ash called.

"You speed up! We need to claim a spot before someone else takes it!"

Panting and out of breath, Ash and Brock finally caught up to her, plopping their bags down on the beach and laying out towels.

Ash rummaged through his bag, taking out five Pokeballs. "Come on out everyone!" He said, releasing his Pokemon. Garchomp, Crawdaunt, Typhlosion, Staraptor, and  
Scrafty appeared, with Pikachu standing alongside them.

"I know I said that we were gonna train today, but I decided that we could take a day off. Have fun guys!" He said.

Dawn took out her Pokeballs, releasing Piplup, Whimsicott, Togekiss, Lopunny, and Cinccino. She decided to leave Mamoswine in his ball, since he was part ice type, and also massive in size. Brock was next, releasing Crobat, Ludicolo, Swampert, and Toxicroak. He left Golem and Steelix in their balls, also because of their large size. The sudden appearance of Pokemon drew attention, as well as a few dirty looks from tourists, but they didn't care. They came to the beach to have fun. If that meant letting their Pokemon out, then so be it.

"Alright everyone, have fun and don't wander too far!" Brock said.

The Pokemon nodded, wandering off to go swim or take a nap or dig in the sand, keeping close to the group.

Once they were finally settled, Dawn took off her shirt and shorts, revealing her to be wearing a pink bikini.

Ash felt that same feeling in his stomach again upon seeing her, and blushed slightly. _There's that feeling again. I really wish I knew what it means_ he said mentally.

Dawn noticed Ash blushing and smiled. _If only he realized what this all really meant_ she thought.

"Hey Ash, I'm gonna put on some sunscreen, can you get my back for me please?" She asked.

"Yeah, sure." He replied.

As Ash was busy rubbing the sunscreen on Dawn's back, Brock wandered off, overwhelmed by the amount of cute girls he saw. Toxicroak was close behind him, keeping him out of trouble.

"There goes Brock, flirting with every girl he sees," Dawn said.

"I don't get it, why does he keep doing that if he's only gonna get rejected?" Ash asked, rubbing in the sunscreen.

"Because, he's looking for love. Tell me Ash, do you know what love is?"

"I don't know. I mean I love my mom, I love my Pokemon, and I love my friends, all in their different ways."

"You're still missing the most important one."

"Which is?"

Dawn face palmed at his naiveness. Resisting the urge to slap some sense into him, she did her best to explain it to the dense boy. "Love for that special someone. Like a husband loves his wife, or when a girlfriend loves her boyfriend. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I guess," Ash lied.

"No you don't," she sighed. "It'll take more than explaining to get it through your dense head," she muttered.

"Why are you asking me this anyways? If you know I don't know what you're talking about, then why are you trying to explain this to me?" Ash asked. He was getting restless, having finished getting Dawn's back, he was now face to face with her, cluelessly talking about the subject at hand.

_BECAUSE I LIKE YOU DAMNIT!_ Dawn screamed mentally. However, she said something else aloud. "Because one day, you're gonna go through the same thing, sooner or later."

"Okay..." Ash said, not knowing how to respond. _Why is she acting so weird lately?_

"Anyways, let's go swimming!" Dawn exclaimed, changing the subject.

"Alright, let me put some sunscreen on, then we can go." Ash replied.

Ash finished up putting sunscreen on, and asked Dawn to get his back, to which she eagerly agreed. Once they were finished, they took to the waves, wading in to about chest level.

Carrying a playful grin on her face, Dawn started splashing Ash.

"Hey!" Ash laughed splashing her back. "Cut it out!"

"Never!"

Ash looked past her, and noticed a giant wave coming. Since he was facing the open sea, and she was facing shore, Dawn never noticed it. Grinning mischievously, Ash formulated a plan in his head to get back at the girl. He started to back off towards shore, still splashing Dawn back, who was busy splashing him. Once the wave was close enough, Ash swam as fast as he could towards shore.

"Where are you going?" Dawn called to him.

"Away from that!" Ash replied, swimming even faster.

Dawn turned around, and saw the wave was nearly upon her. "Ash Ketchum, you will PAY for that!" She yelled, being swept underwater by the wave.

Ash was on shore, laughing his ass off. A not so happy Dawn was wading in. If looks could kill, Ash would be dead in a heartbeat. Upon seeing her, Ash felt a sweat drop form on his neck.

"Uhh, sorry?" Ash stuttered, trying to stop laughing.

Dawn quickly formed a plan in her head. Once she reached shore, she stormed off past Ash and went to pout over on her towel.

"What did you do?"

Ash, finally halting his laughter, turned around, surprised to see Brock standing there.

"When did you get here?" Ash asked.

"Just in time to see Dawn storm off after giving you a dirty look. Now tell me, what happened?"

"Dawn started splashing me playfully, so to get her back, I let her get hit by a giant wave."

"Ahh." Brock thought for a second. "You know she's faking it, right?"

"Why would she do that?"

"Why don't you go and find out?"

"You better not be wrong."

"I'm not, now go." Brock said.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Ash took a deep breath, and started walking over to Dawn, albeit cautiously.

Dawn looked up, noticing Ash coming her way. _Perfect_

Ash finally reached her, and walked in front of her so he could talk to her face to face.

"Are you okay?" He asked nervously.

Dawn ignored him.

"Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done what I did."

Once again, Dawn ignored him.

Ash waked closer to her, and put his hands on her shoulders, and looked deep into her eyes. "I'm sorry." He then got up, and walked away.

He walked past Brock, saying. "Faking it, huh? Sure seemed like it," before walking past him. Pikachu noticed this, and scurried over to catch up with his trainer.

_Well that completely backfired. I don't even remember where I was going with that_ Dawn thought to herself.

"What was that all about?" A voice asked from behind.

Dawn turned around to find Brock standing there.

"Honestly, I don't know. I was thinking something would happen, but I don't know."  
Dawn said.

"Well, you pissed him off, so you might want to go find Ash. And it's lunch time, so maybe you can use that to your advantage."

"Alright, I'll go find him," Dawn said, getting up. She walked around the beach, trying to spot her friend. The beach was crowded, so that didn't help things. After searching for nearly fifteen minutes, she heard a trainer giving a Pokemon a command.  
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Garchomp, keep dodging it! Pikachu, keep aiming at Garchomp! Don't let him get away!" The voice commanded.

Behind a sand dune, a certain trainer, Pikachu, and Garchomp were having a practice battle. The Pikachu was aiming a Thunderbolt at the Garchomp, who was dodging the attack, seemingly to work on the Pikachu's aim. Whenever the Thunderbolt hit, Garchomp kept going, thanks to his immunity to electric type attacks.

_Well, here goes nothing_

Dawn walked up to Ash, who had his back turned to her. He was completely unaware of the girl behind him, too occupied by his training.

"Hey Ash!" Dawn said.

"What the fuck!?" Ash yelled, jumping back at the sudden voice. He tripped and fell, toppling over into the sand, landing on his back.

Dawn peered over him, holding out her hand. "Need some help?"

"Thanks, just don't scare me like that," Ash said meekly, allowing Dawn to help him up. Once he was up, he began brushing the sand off his back and legs. Pikachu and Garchomp, having noticed the fiasco, stooped what they were doing and walked over to the two teens.

"What are you doing here Dawn?" Ash asked. His tone of voice wasn't angry, but it wasn't pleasant either.

Dawn was a little taken aback at the tone of voice. Quickly regaining her composure, she replied, "I came over to apologize to you. I shouldn't have ignored you like that."

"Brock told me you were faking it. Is that true?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Why?"

Dawn, although expecting the question, didn't have an answer, so she tried a roundabout approach. "I also came over to tell you that lunch is almost ready. Brock is making his famous stew, so I'm sure that you won't want to miss it."

"Sweet!" Ash exclaimed, seemingly forgetting about his previous question. "Let's go eat!" Ash said, running off to where Brock and the other Pokemon were.

_Phew, I narrowly dodged a bullet there_ Dawn said mentally, running after Ash.

Garchomp and Pikachu looked at each other, clueless as to what just happened, and ran after their trainer.

They arrived at their spot, seeing Brock was busy feeding the Pokemon. He looked up and noticed them.

"I knew that the mention of food would bring you over here. It'll be about five minutes before it's ready, so in the meantime you can help me finish feeding the Pokemon."

"Okay." The two teens said. They began to give the specially made Pokemon food to the right Pokemon, and when they were done, their own food was ready. Brock served them, and they quickly began eating, Ash shoveling it into his mouth as fast as humanly possible.

* * *

The rest of the day went by, nothing out of the ordinary happening. The group found a volley ball net, and started playing a game, some random people joining in. They did this for the rest of the afternoon, and after finishing their game, they left at around four. They decided to head back to the hotel, so they could shower and get changed so they could go out to dinner.

* * *

"Hurry up Dawn, you've been in there for almost an hour now!" Ash yelled through the closed bathroom door. He was getting impatient, as he knew that Dawn had finished showering and he'd gotten dressed long ago. _What is keeping her in there for so long?_

"Don't rush me Ash, I need to get my hair just right!" She yelled back. She had spent the last twenty minutes trying to fix her hair, but for some reason she could never get it just right. Finally, after another ten minutes, she gave up. "Hopefully they won't notice." She muttered, unlocking the door and walking out.

Ash was the first to see her, and when he realized she was in her new outfit, he felt that same feeling in his chest. _There it is again. And again, it happens after I see Dawn in that outfit_

"Bout damn time," Ash said in an irritated tone.

"Ash, you should know by now that I have to get my hair perfect." Dawn replied.

"No matter what you do to it, it always looks the same. Why even bother?"

"_You_ would never understand." _A girl always has to make sure her hair is perfect in front of her crush, something someone as dense as you would never get_

"Whatever. Come on, let's go eat!"

The trio headed out to eat at the same restaurant, and when they got there, the waiter looked annoyed, having remembered them from yesterday as the group that almost ate them out of food. Nonetheless, he served them, as was his job.

The group ate, reminiscing about the day at the beach, Ash of course having more food than the other two combined. They finished eating, and headed back to the hotel. Brock and Ash had a big day ahead of them, so they decided to go to bed early so they were well rested for tomorrow's events.

* * *

Ash was lying in bed, thinking about the past few days. He looked over, and saw that Dawn had already fallen asleep. _I wonder if she'll roll over in her sleep again and cuddle up to me_ he wondered. That thought brought up a question that he had forgotten about during the day's events, but was thinking about last night. _What did Brock mean by me seeing Dawn as more than a friend?_ Ash spent the rest of his consciousness wondering about that question, before finally succumbing to sleep.

* * *

**So yeah, I kinda rushed through the end there. Writer's block is a bitch, and even though I had the day off due to snow, that was all I could muster. Sorry. Since it's a filler chapter anyways, I don't think it really matters that much. Next chapter will be the start of Ash's double battles, so I don't have to worry about not knowing what to write. OC submissions end this week, so if you have one that youd like to see in the story, hurry up and send them in. That aside, hope you enjoyed the chapter. As always, R&R!**


	16. Chapter 15

**This marks the start of Ash's double battles. Chapter 15 Everyone!**

* * *

Ash woke up first once again. And once again, Dawn was cuddled up to him.

"I should just start to expect this." He muttered to himself.

Luckily, he was able to get up without waking Dawn, so he headed down to get breakfast, making sure not to wake anyone up as he slipped out the door.

Once he got to the cafeteria, he piled his plate high with food.

Ash decided to look up his first opponent while eating. He pulled out his Pokenav, typed in a few things, and an image popped up.

"Ben Howl. Starter was a Charmander. From here in Viridian City. Says he won the Kanto League twice. Hmm..." Ash trailed off, deep in thought.

"He's most likely gonna use Charizard, but who else?" He asked himself. He was so preoccupied, that he didn't see that Dawn had sat across the table from him.

"Whatcha doin?" She asked coyly.

Ash, not knowing that she was there, fell backwards in his seat, dropping his Pokenav upon hearing her voice.

What the hell?" He said, slowly getting up, rubbing the back of his head. "I thought I told you yesterday not to scare me like that!" He scolded. He bent down and picked up his Pokenav, letting out a sigh of relief upon seeing that it wasn't damaged.

"Sorry!" Dawn replied meekly.

"Don't worry about it." Changing the subject, Ash said something that was on his mind. "You were clinging me to me again in your sleep. Luckily I was able to get up without waking you."

"I don't even know if I should apologize anymore, since it's becoming a regular occurrence." Dawn replied, her face beet red.

"No need to worry, like I said, I don't mind. It actually feels kinda nice." Ash said, unaware of what he implied.

_If only he knew what he was saying_. "Anyways, what were you looking at on your Pokenav?" Dawn asked, changing the subject.

"I was looking up my first opponent. His name is Ben Howl, he's eighteen, and he won the Kanto League twice. I've already figured he's gonna use Charizard, I'm now trying to figure out who else he'll use."

"Maybe I can help. What other Pokémon does he have?" Dawn asked.

"Umbreon, Breloom, Salamence, Gengar, and some Pokémon called Noivern."

"What's a Noivern?" Dawn asked cluelessly.

"I don't know, it looks like it's from Kalos. Says here it's a Dragon/Flying type."

"Based on those, I'd think he'd go with either Gengar or Breloom."

"What do you say that?"

"Because, Salamence and Noivern are both part flying type, and not many people pair flying types together."

"Your guess is as good as mine. As for who I'm using, I'm gonna go with Pikachu and Reuniclus. Speaking of Pikachu, is he still asleep?"

"Yeah, last I checked, he was out cold, soundly sleeping at the foot of our bed."

"Good to know. He'll need the rest for today. Now that I think about it, I have a feeling Ben will use Breloom. Grass and Fire have good type synergy, so he'll probably use him."

So a psychic type and an electric type. On paper, there no contest. You'll win hands down."

"Pokémon battles are not won on paper, Dawn. There's still the question of _how_ he'll use them."

"Okay, Captain Buzzkill."

Ash continued to eat, while Dawn got herself a bowl of cereal. The two talked about various things, and finally finished eating up, so they decided to head back to the room. On the way there, they ran into Brock and Pikachu.

"Oh hey Brock, did you just get up?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. I don't want to be late, and Pikachu here wanted to see you. I'm gonna head down to eat. I don't know when I'll be done, so I'll meet you down at the stadium. Sound good?" Brock replied.

"Yeah, sounds good. Come on Pikachu, I'm using you in the first round, so you need to be ready." Ash said, holding out his arm.

"Pika!" Pikachu cooed, hopping aboard his trainer's arm and finding a comfortable spot on his shoulder.

The three went their separate ways, with Ash and Dawn heading back to the room.

Ash was already dressed, and was waiting for Dawn to finish up so he could go to the Pokémon Center to exchange his Pokémon.

"Is this gonna be a repeat of yesterday?" Ash asked through the door.

"Yes. Now can it so I can finish my hair," Dawn said bluntly.

Ash sighed, looking at Pikachu. "What is it with girls and their hair?" He asked his loyal companion.

"Pika. Pikachu pikapi." He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"This is taking forever!" He said to no one in particular, annoyed at the circumstances.  
Almost as if on cue, Dawn stepped out, once again in her new outfit. Once again, Ash felt that same feeling in his stomach. _This is starting to get old. You'd think that I'd be used to her new outfit by now_

Dawn noticed Ash blushing and smiled. "Come on, let's go!" She exclaimed, snapping Ash back to reality.

The two headed off to the Pokémon Center, conversing along the way.

"So who else are you gonna use today?" Dawn asked.

"I'm bringing in Charizard to battle alongside Garchomp for either the second or third match. Sceptile and Typhlosion for one of them, and Infernape and Torterra. You already know that I'm using Reuniclus and Pikachu for the first match." He replied.

"Sounds like some good matchups. It's been awhile since I've seen Infernape and Torterra in action." She replied, reminiscing of the Sinnoh days.

The two continued chatting, talking about their adventures in Sinnoh, until they got to the Pokémon Center. They walked inside, greeted Nurse Joy, then went over to the video phones. Ash dialed a number, and an old man appeared.

"Ash! Dawn! Pikachu!" The old man known as Professor Oak said. "How are you guys?"

"We're good. I came to tell you that I made it to the second round of the qualifiers." Ash stated.

"Congrats! I knew you could do it. Gary called yesterday and told me he made it as well. I'm assuming you also called to make some Pokémon exchanges?"

"Yep. I need Reuniclus and Charizard, so I'll send over Crawdaunt and Scrafty."

"I'm sure Charizard is gonna be rearing for a fight. Ever since he came back from the Charicific Valley, he's pretty much made the ranch his kingdom, since no one has come close to beating him. He's not a tyrant or anything, he just doesn't put up with Pokémon fighting each other over stupid stuff." Professor Oak said.

"It's about time Charizard stepped up. I'm sending my Pokeballs over now Professor." Ash replied.

"Okay. I'll be back in a few minutes, I just need to get those two." Oak replied, taking the two Pokeballs that were just transported with him.

"Wow. Professor Oak is a really nice guy. I hope I can hear one of his poems!" Dawn squealed.

"Yeah, he is. I'm glad that he'll go out of his way to help me out." Ash replied.

A few minutes later, Professor Oak returned, holding two Pokeballs. Here they are! Good luck in your battles Ash." He said, putting the Pokeballs in the transporter.

"Thanks professor. I just got Reuniclus and Charizard. I'll talk to you later today."

"See ya!"

Ash then hung up, and turned around to find a disappointed Dawn.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I wanted to hear one of his poems, but you hung up so fast that I didn't get a chance to ask him." She replied dejectedly.

"No need to worry, you'll have your chance later today when I call him back to get my other Pokémon."

"Okay!" Dawn piped, seemingly over her brief mood swing. "Come on, your match starts in twenty minutes, so we should head over to the stadium."

"Good idea."

* * *

"Where's Brock?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know. He said he'd meet us here, but I guess his first match started sooner than he thought." Ash replied.

"That's a bummer. I wanted to wish him luck for his match. Oh well, I can still wish _you_ luck!" Dawn said coyly.

"Alright, I'll see you after the match, I gotta go." Ash said, completely missing the hint.

"See ya! And good luck!" Dawn replied, walking off into the stands.

"Thanks." Ash said, heading off into the trainer's room. He walked inside and sat down on a bench. He pulled out a Pokeball, and threw it, with Reuniclus appearing. The Multiplying Pokémon eagerly floated next to Pikachu, awaiting what Ash was going to say.

"Alright guys, we're gonna be facing some stiff competition. Ben has won the Kanto league twice, so expect one hell of a fight. I've figured out that he'll use Charizard and Breloom, so we have the type advantage. But that doesn't mean it'll be an easy fight. All in all, do your best. That's all that matters."

A bell rung, signaling Ash to head out to the battlefield.

"Alright, return Reuniclus." Ash said, recalling his Pokémon. He then headed out to the field, which was just plain dirt. _A dirt field. No one's gonna have the advantage here_ Ash looked up into the stands, which were packed.

"I guess the former Sinnoh champ and Kanto champ is too much to pass up," he muttered. He kept looking, and finally spotted Dawn. He saw her give him a big thumbs up, giving him a slight boost of confidence. Ash took a deep breath, then walked up to the trainer's box. He eyed his opponent.

Ben looked to be in his late teens, and had short brown hair. He was wearing a white button down shirt, a red jacket, black cargo pants held up by a black belt, and boots. His eyes hid behind a pair of sunglasses, and Ash thought he saw a ring on the middle finger of his right hand, but wasn't sure.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Ben Howl of Viridian City, and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon cannot continue. If one Pokémon is knocked out on either side, the match will continue as a two on one. This match will be fought on a dirt battlefield, and both trainers will send out their Pokémon at the same time at my command. Are both trainers ready?"

Both Ash and Ben nodded. Ash pulled out a Pokeball, with Pikachu getting ready on his shoulder. Ben pulled two Pokeballs off his belt.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, raising his flags into the air.

"Reuniclus, Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash shouted. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder, while he threw a Pokeball, Reuniclus emerging from it. They stared down at the other side of the field, where Ben was sending out his Pokémon.

"Charizard, Breloom. I choose you!" He shouted.

The Mushroom Pokémon and the Flame Pokémon appeared, rearing for battle.

Ben made the first move. "Breloom, Mach Punch on Pikachu. Charizard, use Air Slash on Reuniclus!"

"Pikachu, dodge with Agility! Then Thunderbolt at Charizard! Reuniclus, redirect that Air Slash at Breloom!" Ash countered.

Breloom briefly extended his fist, before rushing towards Pikachu in a Flash of light. Pikachu tried to dodge, but to no avail. He was struck by the attack, sending him skidding across the field. Meanwhile, Charizard created five blades of air, and sent them at Reuniclus. He was able to catch them with his Psychic attack, and redirected them at Breloom, who was completely unaware.

"Breloom, move it now!" Ben shouted.

Breloom looked up, to see the redirected Air Slash coming right at him. He was able to dodge the first four, but the last one hit, dealing major damage thanks to his extreme weakness to flying type attacks. He was panting heavily, but still had a lot left in him.

"Breloom, Spore on Reuniclus! Charizard, Flamethrower on Pikachu!"

"Reuniclus, try and redirect that Spore with your Psychic! Pikachu counter Flamethrower with Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

Breloom lowered his head, allowing small white spores to emerge from it, aimed at Reuniclus. The psychic type's eyes glowed, and he tried to stop the spores in his track, but there were too many, and he fell asleep on contact. Meanwhile, Charizard opened his jaw, letting loose a massive stream of flames, aimed straight at Pikachu. He countered it with a perfectly placed Thunderbolt. The two attacks clashed in a battle of will, and finally caused a massive explosion, damaging all four Pokémon. Reuniclus was on the ground, fast asleep, while across from him Breloom was panting heavily. Both Pikachu and Charizard were relatively unphazed, and stared each other down.

"Charizard, fly into the air, then go into a Flare Blitz at Pikachu! Breloom, Giga Drain on Reuniclus!"

"Pikachu, counter with Volt Tackle! Reuniclus, WAKE UP!" Ash shouted frantically.

Charizard flew into the air, then dove downwards, covering his body in flames. He leveled out, shooting straight towards Pikachu. Pikachu charged forward, enveloping his body in an electrical aura. The two Pokémon crashed into each other, causing a massive explosion. The explosion distracted Breloom, who was busy sucking the energy out of the sleeping Psychic type with green tendrils. The tendrils disappeared, and the noise awoke Reuniclus, who wasn't too happy about being attacked while sleeping. Smoke covered the entire field, and no one could see a thing. Finally, after about a minute of no action, the smoke started to clear. Two silhouettes were lying on the ground. Once the smoke lifted a little more, the ref made his call.

"Both Charizard and Pikachu are unable to battle, this match will continue as a one on one!" He shouted.

Ash walked onto the battlefield to pick Pikachu up, while Ben recalled Charizard back into his ball. Ash set Pikachu on the bench near the sidelines, covering him with his hoodie. He walked back over to the trainer's box, so the match could continue.

_Thanks bud, you just allowed me to win_ he said mentally.

Once Ben saw that Ash was ready, he made his move. "Breloom, put Reuniclus to sleep again with Spore!"

_Time for my trump card!_ "Reuniclus, Trick Room, then Psyshock!"

As Breloom was about to release his Spore attack for the second time, the field became surrounded by a white grid. In the blink of an eye, Reuniclus released three orbs of psychic energy, all three making contact with the Mushroom Pokémon, breaking his concentration and preventing the attack.

"Mach Punch!" Ben shouted.

"You can take that! Confuse Ray!" Ash countered.

Since priority moves weren't affected by Trick Room, Breloom extended his arm and was up onto the Multiplying Pokémon in a flash. He delivered a punch to his face, but it didn't do very much damage. Reuniclus retaliated by firing six golden orbs of energy at his opponent. They circled around Breloom, then exploded in a flash of light. Once the light died down, Breloom was seen hitting himself in confusion.

"Breloom, snap out of it!" Ben yelled desperately.

"Reuniclus, finish with Psyshock!" Ash shouted.

As Breloom continued to hit himself, Reuniclus fired three orbs of psychic energy, which shot towards Breloom and exploded. When the smoke cleared, the Mushroom Pokémon was lying on the ground, defeated.

"Breloom is unable to battle, Reuniclus is the winner and the match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" The ref shouted.

As the crowd roared in excitement, Ash quickly recalled Reuniclus, then dashed off to the sidelines to where Pikachu was. Luckily, he had regained consciousness, and he was cheering for Ash's victory.

"Come on bud, let's get you to a Pokémon Center." Ash said, heading towards the trainer's room. He was so preoccupied with making sure that Pikachu was alright, that he almost walked past Dawn. She put a hand out on his shoulder, snapping him out of his trance. Ash looked up, staring into Dawn's eyes. _There's that feeling again..._

"Congrats on winning!" Dawn exclaimed. She then noticed Ash's face turning red, but she decided not to press the matter.

"Thanks." He replied meekly. "Come on, I need to get Pikachu to the Pokémon Center."  
Dawn nodded, knowing that no matter what, Ash put his Pokémon's needs in front of his own. She followed him there, chatting with him all the way. "Do you know who your opponent is for your next match?" She asked.

"Not a clue, but I've already decided to go with Garchomp and Charizard. I heard that he's a Dragon Tamer, but other than that, I don't know anything about him."

"At least you have two of your most powerful Pokémon to go against him," Dawn said.

They had just arrived at the Pokémon Center, so they walked inside. Ash greeted Nurse Joy, and then asked her to take a look at Pikachu. Joy happily complied, heading off into the other room with Pikachu on a stretcher, leaving Ash and Dawn alone in the lobby.

Dawn saw Ash looking worried, so she did her best to comfort him.

"Don't worry, he'll be alright. He seemed fine after the battle, why are you so worried?"

"Because, taking a Flare Blitz head on with a Volt Tackle wasn't the smartest move. I always make these reckless decisions in the heat of battle, and my Pokémon have to suffer the consequences."

"Ash, you know that you did your best out there. The fact that you beat a two time champion in your first try proves it. Anyone knows that a reckless trainer would have lost. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Pikachu did the best he could, and the trust and love between you two allowed him to take a much bigger, and probably much stronger opponent head on. He may have been knocked out, but he took out a Charizard with him. I'm sure that there will be no hard feelings between you two when this is all over."

"Thanks Dawn, it always seems like you know exactly what to say to make me feel better." Ash said, a smile creeping up on his face.

Dawn blushed slightly at the comment. "No problem Ash."

"Ash?" A voice called from across the room.

"That must be Nurse Joy!" Ash exclaimed, getting up excitedly. He turned around, and sure enough, Nurse Joy was standing there, a newly recovered Pikachu sitting on her shoulder.

"Your Pikachu needs the rest of the day off, but he'll be good to go tomorrow." She stated sweetly.

Pikachu hopped off Nurse Joy's shoulder and scurried off to greet his trainer. Ash picked him up, and gave him an affectionate hug.

"Thanks Nurse Joy, you're the best!" He exclaimed. He looked down at Pikachu, who was content lay snuggling into his arms. "Thanks bud. You were wonderful out there last match."

"Pika!" He cooed back, climbing out of Ash's arms and climbed up onto his familiar perch on Ash's shoulder.

"Now that that's settled, what do you wanna do now? You have half an hour before you gotta be there for your next match, so is there anything in particular that you wanna so to pass the time?" Dawn asked.

"I could go for some ice cream. Even though I still have three battles left, I think I deserve a large cone after defeating a two time champion."

"Okay! But _you're_ paying this time. I don't owe you squat." Dawn said playfully, poking him in the stomach flirtatiously at saying 'you're.'

"Deal." Ash replied, obviously in a better mood than he was not even five minutes ago.

The two headed off to an ice cream shop, located not far from where the Pokémon Center was at.

* * *

**So slightly shorter, but I decided to limit myself to one battle per chapter. Otherwise, the second one won't be as good as the first. Next chapter will be Ash's second battle.**

**Ben Howl belongs to Alleluia00.**

**On the topic of OCs, they are coming to a close. The next update should be Friday, so that'll be the last chapter you can submit them. I mentioned this originally, but a few people seemed to ignore it. NO LEGENDARY Pokémon. Period. some stories have trainers own legendaries, heck even the anime during the Sinnoh League (Tobias and his Darkrai) had legendaries, but my story mill not have them. Sorry if that disappoints you, but this will be a normal tournament. That rant aside, I hardly have any Johto or Hoenn OCs, so there are still some slots left for those two regions. Every other region has enough, but you can still submit them. Sorry for the rant, but that's just something that's been on my mind.**

**As always, R&R!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Here's chapter 16. Ash's second double battle takes place. Enjoy**

* * *

The two teens were sitting down, enjoying their ice cream. Ash and Dawn were talking about various things, most notably about their journeys through Unova.

"Man, I remember the day Gabite evolved into Garchomp. After evolving during his first gym battle, it took all the way til the Unova league for him to reach his final stage. That was one heck of a battle. Too bad I lost though." Ash reminisced.

"Don't worry about it, that's in the past. Garchomp wasn't used to flying, so that's why he crashed when he was hit by that energy ball." Dawn replied, licking her chocolate cone.  
"Yeah, you're right. It's just that that Serperior was really strong. If that guy didn't have him, I'm sure I would've won." Ash said, still dwindling in the past, taking bites of his hot fudge sundae.

"Don't worry about it. Come on. Finish up your sundae so you can get back in time for your match. You gotta be there in ten minutes!"

"Oh yeah," Ash said, shoveling down the last three scoops of ice cream, which wasn't the best idea in the world. "Ahh! Brain freeze!" He exclaimed, sticking his thumb to the roof of his mouth.

Dawn rolled her eyes, giggling at Ash's discomfort. "Jeez Ash, I said you have ten minutes. The stadium is next door."

"Thowry. I fowgoh. Mayee I thudn't hab dunn taht." Ash replied, his thumb still in his mouth.

Dawn giggled, this time more uncontrollably. It was quite a sight to see a seventeen year old act like a child. Most people would have been turned off by this, but not Dawn. She found stuff like this somewhat alluring, one of the reasons why she had a crush on Ash, and she had no idea why.

Dawn decided to take her cone with her, and the two headed off to the stadium. Ash still had his thumb in his mouth, the brain freeze not letting up just yet.

"Good luck!" Dawn exclaimed.

Ash finally decided to deal with the brain freeze. "Thanks Dawn." He said. He turned towards Pikachu. "Hey bud, can you go with Dawn for me?" He asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu replied, jumping off of Ash's shoulder and landing on Dawn's.

"Hey Pikachu, you ready to cheer for Ash during his match?" Dawn asked the electric type.

"Pika!" He exclaimed.

"Alright, I'll see you two after the match," Ash said, heading off to the trainer's room.  
"Bye!" Dawn exclaimed, waving to her friend. "Come on Pikachu, let's go get some good seats before they fill up." she said, heading off into the stands.

* * *

"Garchomp, Charizard, come on out!" Ash said, releasing two Pokémon from their balls.  
The Mach Pokémon and the Flame Pokémon appeared. They eyed each other, before giving their attention to Ash.

"Alright guys, I don't know what Pokémon this guy is gonna use, but he's a Dragon Tamer, so he's most likely gonna choose Dragon types. So be prepared, especially you Garchomp. You can hit them super effectively, but they can hit you super effectively as well."

Garchomp nodded at this remark. He was experienced in fighting dragon types, having won Ash the Legend Badge against Drayden as a Gabite.

Charizard, on the other hand, stood tall and proud. Even though he wasn't a dragon type, he knew an arsenal of dragon type moves, sure to come in handy in the upcoming battle.

A bell rang, signaling Ash to head off to the field.

"Return guys. Remember, do your best. That's all that matters." Ash said, recalling the two Pokémon. He walked out into the stadium, and immediately searched for Dawn. The crowd was large, and he had a hard time spotting her. He finally found her, thanks to spotting a glimpse of yellow, which, upon closer inspection, was Pikachu. He saw them give him a thumbs up, which made him feel better about the match that was about to start.

On the other side was his opponent. He was dressed in all black, and he had a cape that reached his ankles. He had red hair, which brought a sense of familiarity to the man.

_Why does he remind me of someone? _Ash asked himself.

The man spoke up. "If you brought any ice types with you to try and defeat my dragons, you're in for a world of hurt. I've been trained by Lance personally, so I know what I'm doing."

_Lance! He looks like Lance! I remember him from Johto, and later Hoenn when he helped May and I stop Groudon and Kyogre! If he has personal training from him, this is gonna be one hell of a fight._ Ash thought.

The ref began his pre battle statements. "This will be a two on two double battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Draco Longstreet of Cerulean City. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon cannot continue battling. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. This match will be held on a grass battlefield. Both trainers will select their Pokémon at the same time on my command. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes!" Ash said, pulling two Pokeballs from his belt.

"Yep." Draco said, also pulling two Pokeballs off his belt.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, throwing his flags up.

"Charizard and Garchomp, I choose you!" Ash shouted, releasing his Pokémon.

The Mach Pokémon and the Flame Pokémon appeared, ready for battle.

On the other side of the field, Draco sent out his Pokémon. "Hydreigon, Fraxure, I need your assistance!" He shouted.

The Brutal Pokémon and the Axe Jaw Pokémon appeared, ready for battle.

Ash called the first attack.

"Garchomp, Dragon Rush on Fraxure. Charizard, Dragon Pulse on Hydreigon!" He shouted.

"Fraxure, hit that Garchomp with a Dragon Claw! Hydreigon, counter with your own Dragon Pulse!" Draco countered.

Garchomp surrounded himself in a blue aura, then shot towards Fraxure like a speeding bullet. Fraxure extended his claws in anticipation, ready to strike at any moment. The Mach Pokémon was too fast, however, and crashed into Fraxure, causing him to fly back while dealing major damage. Meanwhile, Charizard and Hydreigon both shot two green orbs of energy at each other. The attacks met in the middle, causing a massive explosion.

"Charizard, Fly! Then use Dragon Dance! Garchomp, cover him!" Ash commanded.

"Hydreigon, Dragonbreath on Garchomp! You too Fraxure!" Draco shouted.

Charizard flew up high, gaining distance from his opponents. He then started dancing frantically, surrounded by a red and black energy. He got faster and faster as he continued. Garchomp was below him, making sure he wasn't hit by any attacks when he set up.

Both Hydreigon and Fraxure formed a green energy in their mouths and sent it at Garchomp.

"Protect!" Ash shouted frantically.

Garchomp quickly formed a protective barrier, blocking the dual attack, saving him in the nick of time thanks to his high speed.

"Damnit!" Draco said to himself. "Power alone won't beat this kid. I need speed, so time to take a page out of his book. Fraxure, Dragon Dance! Hydreigon, protect Fraxure at all costs!" He shouted.

"Alright you two, double Dragon Claw! Hit Hydreigon from different angles!" Ash ordered.

Ash's Pokémon complied, circling around Hydreigon, claws extended and glowing. The two nodded at each other, then broke off. Garchomp went for the right flank, and Charizard went for the left. They struck out at the same time, dealing massive damage to the enemy dragon. Fraxure had just finished his dance, and looked as powerful as ever.

"Fraxure, use Metal Claw on Garchomp! Hydreigon, Water Pulse on Charizard!"

"Counter with Iron Tail Garchomp! Hit that Water Pulse with a Flamethrower Charizard!"

Fraxure extended his claws, gleaming like metal. He charged towards Garchomp in a flash of speed, but made contact with an iron hard tail when he struck. The two pushed against each other in a battle of wills, and Garchomp won out in the end, sending Fraxure flying back. Charizard didn't fare so well. While he was initially able to counter the Water Pulse with his Flamethrower, Hydreigon sent out a second one. The two combined water attacks proved to be too much, and they quickly overpowered the fire type's efforts. They slammed into Charizard, dealing massive damage. Charizard roared in anger, not happy about the circumstances.

"Charizard, Seismic Toss! Garchomp, finish Fraxure off with Draco Meteor!"

"Dodge, both of you!" Draco shouted.

Charizard moved in for the KO. He flew towards Hydreigon, who was floating away as fast as possible. He caught up, thanks to the speed boosts from the earlier Dagon Dance, and grabbed the brutal Pokémon around the waist, lifting him up into the air. He then spun in a circle three times, before careening downwards at a high speed. Just before he hit the ground, Charizard let go of his opponent and leveled out, completing his signature attack. Hydreigon didn't get back up. Meanwhile, Garchomp had shot dozens of mini meteorites into the sky, and they started falling back to earth. Fraxure did his best to jump out of the way, but there were too many, and after taking three in a row, he collapsed onto the ground.

The ref made is call. "Both Hydreigon and Fraxure are unable to battle, Charizard and Garchomp win! The match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" He shouted, raising the flag on Ash's side of the field. The crowd erupted into cheers, excited at the double knock out.

"Great job you two, take a rest," Ash said, recalling his Pokémon. He looked up, and saw Draco recalling his Pokémon. They both walked to the center of the field to shake hands.

"That was a great match! You beat me at my own game, and I have no regrets. I wish you luck during the rest of the tournament." Draco said.

"Thanks." Ash replied.

The two stood there for another moment, before breaking off contact and going their separate ways. Ash headed back to the trainer's room to see if Dawn was there. He walked inside, and immediately a familiar yellow mouse jumped into his arms.

"Hey Pikachu!" He said.

"That match was awesome! Congrats on winning!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Thanks," Ash replied meekly.

"You were completely in control the entire time. You kept a level head, and that gave you the victory," a voice from behind said.

The two teens turned around, surprised to see Brock standing there.

"Brock!?" The two said in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked.

"I came to see your battle of course! I can't stay long, since my third match is in ten minutes, but I came over when I realized that I had some time to kill."

"So that means you won your first two matches, right?" asked Dawn.

"Yeah. One of my opponents was a challenger from before I decided to travel with you Ash. He beat me fairly easily the first time, but I was able to pull out with the win in the end during the double battle."

"That's cool, see anyone else you know?"

"I saw Gary on the way over here, but he was in such a hurry, I didn't have a chance to talk to him."

"That's too bad," Dawn said.

"Yeah. Listen, I gotta go, I just wanted to congratulate you and wish you luck in your next match." He said.

"You too Brock, good luck!" Ash said.

"Thanks." Brock replied, before walking off.

"So now what?" Dawn asked.

"Now, I go to exchange my Pokémon. I got thirty minutes before my next match, so I need to hurry over so I can get Infernape, Torterra, and Sceptile. I'm sending Garchomp, Reuniclus, and Staraptor over to Professor Oak." Ash replied.

"Sounds good."

The two headed over to the Pokémon Center, choosing to walk in silence. Ash was thinking over his battling strategies, while Dawn had a million thoughts running through her mind.

_I wonder what Brock is gonna do to keep his promise_ she thought to herself. _Maybe he thinks giving us some alone time will work? No, he knows Ash is too dense for that. Maybe he had some elaborate scheme planned that he's not letting me in on. That must be it, I just wish I knew what it is._

The two reached the Pokémon Center and walked in, greeting Nurse Joy. They immediately went over to the video phones, and Ash dialed a number.

Professor Oak appeared on screen, seemingly in a good mood.

"Ash! Dawn! How are you two?" He asked jovially.

"We're good. I made it past my first two battles, so I'm calling to make some more exchanges." Ash replied.

"Alright! Who do you need?"

"Torterra, Infernape, and Sceptile. I'm sending over Garchomp, Staraptor, and Reuniclus."

"Alright, just put the Pokeballs in the transporter, and I'll go get your Pokémon," Oak replied.

"Sure thing," Ash said, putting the three Pokeballs in the transporter. A flash of light appeared, and they were gone.

"Alright, I got them. I'll be back in a few minutes." Professor Oak said, holding the three Pokeballs.

Three minutes later, the professor reappeared, holding three Pokeballs in his hand. "Here you go Ash! Good luck!" He said, placing the balls in the transporter.

"Thanks professor. I just got them," Ash replied, clipping the Pokeballs to his belt.

Before anyone else could say anything, Dawn piped in. "Would you mind reciting a poem professor?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure thing. Ahem. The grass and ground type Torterra, one of the most fearsome beasts of its era." He said, holding one hand across his chest, and the other held at a right angle pointed upward.

_That was a bit of a letdown, usually his poems are better than this_ Ash thought to himself.

Dawn thought otherwise. "That was awesome! Thanks professor!" She squealed.

"No problem! Goodbye!" He said, hanging up.

Ash put down the phone, and turned towards Dawn. "Come on, let's head back. I don't want to be late." He said, heading towards the stadium.

"Right behind you!" She said, trailing close behind.

* * *

**So Ash wins his second round of the double battles. This chapter marks the end of OC submissions, so thanks to all that submitted. Next chapter will be Ash's third battle. **

**Ash's age is revealed, him being seventeen. Here's a little age chart in case you were wondering:**

**Ash: 17**

**Jake: 16**

**May: 15**

**Dawn: 15 (I skewed this a little, 17 & 13 don't really work in a teenage relationship)**

**Brock: 22**

**On a side note, I've recently started a Walking Dead fic. It's basically my zombie survival story, set in the Walking Dead universe. I'm writing it as a side project whenever I need a break from this. Since it's based on the circumstances I would have in that situation, every character is based on a real person. The only thing different is the names. It's there if you want to check it out. If not, that's fine too. I won't update it frequently, maybe once every week or two.**

**That's all from me, hope you enjoyed the battle. Until next time, R&R everyone!**


	18. Chapter 17

**So this chapter has Ash's third double battle in it. OC Submissions are now closed. Enjoy.**

* * *

"Good luck!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Thanks." Ash replied. "Pikachu, you know the drill. Stay with Dawn until after the match." He said, turning to his loyal partner.

"Pika!" He exclaimed, jumping onto Dawn's shoulder.

"Alright, see ya after the match!" Dawn said, turning to head into the stands.

"See ya," Ash replied, heading into the trainer's room. He walked in, and sat down on a bench, pulling two Pokeballs from his belt.

"Come on out guys." He said, releasing his Pokémon. Infernape and Torterra appeared.

"Alright, I'm facing a guy named Danny Walters. I don't know who he'll use, but you two won't let me down, right?"

His two Pokémon shook their heads.

"Good, I knew I could count on you. This will just be like old times. I know I haven't used you two in that many battles recently, but I know you won't let me down. Do your best, that's all that matters."

A bell rang, signaling Ash to head off onto the battlefield.

"Return guys," he said, recalling the two Sinnoh starters.

He headed out, walking onto the field. The stands were packed, just like the previous two matches. Ash looked around, trying to find Dawn, but couldn't spot her. "Damn, it's so packed, I can't even spot Dawn," he muttered. He headed over to the trainer's box, and he looked at his opponent.

His opponent, Danny Walters, was a kid who looked no older than twelve. He wore black sneakers, black socks that ran up halfway his calves, khaki shorts held up by a brown belt, a red t-shirt, and a black hat with a flat brim worn backwards. He wore thick black glasses, which appeared more stylish than functional. He was standing there with his arms crossed, a confident smirk on his face.

The ref spoke up, beginning the pre-battle statements.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Danny Walters of Fuschia City. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to continue battling. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. This match will be fought on a dirt battlefield, and both trainers will send out their Pokémon on my command. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes." Ash said, pulling two Pokeballs from his belt.

"Hell yeah," Danny said, also retrieving two Pokeballs from his belt.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, throwing up his flags.

"Infernape, Torterra, I choose you!" Ash shouted, throwing his Pokeballs.

"Nidorino, Rhyhorn, let's go!" Danny shouted, releasing his Pokémon.

Ash made the first move. "Infernape, Mach Punch on Rhyhorn. Torterra, Leech Seed on Nidorino!"

"Rhyhorn and Nidorino, double Horn Drill!"

_Really, he's going for a one hit KO move in the first attack? Jeez, kids these days._ Ash said mentally.

Infernape charged towards Rhyhorn in a flash, striking him with a fist to the face. Rhyhorn retaliated by spinning his horn, and charging at the Flame Pokémon, but the attack was easily dodged. Torterra fired a seed from his tree, which latched onto Nidorino and started draining his energy. Nidorino also spun up his drill, charging towards Torterra. Torterra, due to his massive size, was having trouble keeping the poison type at bay.

"Infernape, help Torterra out with a flame wheel! Torterra, eat your energy ball!"

"Nidorino, keep it up!" Rhyhorn, Take Down on Infernape!"

Infernape covered his body in flames, then rapidly rolled towards Nidorino. He struck the poison type in the back, causing him to stop the attack. Rhyhorn then charged towards the fire type, knocking him to the side. Meanwhile, Torterra formed an energy ball in his mouth, then swallowed it, giving him a boost of power.

He learned this trick as a Grotle when he faced Palmer's Rhyperior. It gave him a boost in energy, and almost gave him the win, but the difference in experience won out in the end, and Palmer won the match. Ever since then, Ash had been using this strategy whenever he battled with Torterra.

Back on the battlefield, Torterra and Infernape were standing on their side of the field, looking relatively, healthy. On the other side, Rhyhorn looked a little worn out, but he had a lot of juice left. Nidorino, on the other hand, was getting weaker by the second, thanks to the Leech Seed planted by Torterra.

_How the hell did this kid make it this far?_ Ash asked himself. _This kid is reckless, and goes for pure power right off the bat. What the hell is his strategy? Maybe he caught his previous opponents off guard with those OHKO moves?_

"Nidorino, use Double Kick on Torterra! Rhyhorn, use another Take Down on Infernape!"

"Torterra, Bulk Up! Infernape, hit him with a Mach Punch!"

Rhyhorn charged towards Infernape, attempting to ram him with his Take Down attack. However, Infernape disappeared in a flash of light, and reappeared, punching Rhyhorn on the face, causing him to skid on his stomach. Meanwhile, Nidorino jumped up, flying towards the Continent Pokémon. Torterra tensed his muscles, making him appear slightly larger than normal. This reduced the damage when Nidorino landed two kicks in rapid succession to his face.

Infernape, finish Rhyhorn off with Close Combat! Torterra, Razor Leaf on Nidorino. Wear him down!" Ash shouted.

"Rhyhorn, go for a Horn Attack! "Nidorino, hit Torterra with a Sludge Bomb!" Danny countered.

Infernape charged towards Rhyhorn, whose hand was glowing, and struck him rapidly with a flurry of punches, kicks, and headbutts. It was too much for the rock type to handle, and he fainted. On the other side of the field, Torterra shot dozens of razor sharp leaves at his opponent. Nidorino destroyed the leaves with a thick black sludge he shot from his mouth. Once there was a let up, he redirected his aim at Torterra, dealing a significant amount of damage.

The ref made his call. "Rhyhorn is unable to battle, this match will continue as a two on one!" He shouted.

Danny pulled out a Pokeball, and recalled Rhyhorn. As soon as the rock type was inside the ball, he made his next move. "Alright, now another Sludge Bomb!" Danny commanded.

"Infernape, protect Torterra with Flamethrower! Torterra, use Synthesis!" Ash ordered.  
Torterra covered himself with a green light, absorbing sunlight and regaining energy. Infernape was protecting him, fending off the onslaught of sludge with a flamethrower. Nidorino started to look exhausted, then collapsed.

"Nidorino is unable to battle, the winners are Infernape and Torterra! The match goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" The ref shouted.

"What the hell happened!?" Danny asked, bewildered at the situation.

"Leech Seed." Ash said simply. He recalled his Pokémon and walked off to the trainer's room.

As he got inside, a familiar voice greeted him.

"Congrats on winning!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Thanks." Ash replied.

"Pika!" A voice called out. A certain Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder, congratulating his trainer of his victory.

He pulled out his Pokenav, and started typing, sitting down in the process.

"What's the matter? You seem bothered." Dawn said, sitting down next to him.

"I wanna know how that kid was able to make it to the third round. I'm looking up how he won his previous battles. He had very little talent, and was very reckless with the way he was commanding his Pokémon." Ash replied.

"Oh."

Ash started scrolling, stopped, then continued scrolling some more. He did this for a few minutes, then stopped. "So I was right."

"What?" Dawn asked.

"This kid has won his matches in the first minute every time. Apparently he goes for the same strategy, hit the opponents with a OHKO move, and win the match. How can someone be so stupid to not dodge those?"

"Maybe they didn't realize that they were that powerful? OHKO moves aren't used often, and sometimes people forget that it's over when they get hit by them."

"Maybe, but something doesn't seem right."

"Ash, you're just paranoid. Move on. Speaking of which, who are you facing next?"  
"I guess you're right. Lemme look." Ash typed some more on his Pokenav, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

"What is it?" Dawn asked.

"I'm facing Ritchie Speed."

"Who?"

He's the guy I lost to in the Indigo Plateau."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. We're good friends, and I lost because Charizard wouldn't listen to me. I've been looking forward to a rematch for years, and finally I have a chance." Ash explained.

"Oh. Do you think you'll meet up with him before the match?" Dawn asked.

"I'd like to. Come on, I'm sure we'll find him if we go outside." Ash said, getting up.

"Okay!" Dawn said, following Ash. The two walked outside, and immediately Ash saw a familiar face.

"Ritchie!" He said, running up to his friend

"Ash!" Ritchie replied. "How have you been?"

"I've been good." Ash replied.

Ritchie looked over and noticed Dawn standing a few feet away. "Is that your girlfriend?" He asked.

Dawn blushed furiously at the comment, but Ash's was a little less obvious, yet still present.

"No. She's just a friend. Dawn, this is Ritchie. Ritchie, Dawn."

Ritchie raised an eyebrow upon seeing Dawn's response, but decided not to press the matter. "How are you doing?" He asked Dawn.

"Good," she replied meekly.

"Anyways, I'm really looking forward to our battle. I wish you luck." Ash said to Ritchie.

"Yeah, me too. Charizard isn't gonna not listen to you, is he?" He joked.

"Nah. I just use him in a battle today. He helped me defeat a Dragon Tamer, and he followed my every command." Ash replied.

"Glad to hear it, although I was hoping to face Charizard in the match today."

"Don't worry, I'm using two of my strongest. I hope you do the same."

"I will. I'll see you after the match. Good luck." Ritchie replied.

"You too."

The two went their separate ways, with Ash and Dawn heading back into the trainer's room.

"Well, I'll take Pikachu up to the stands with me," Dawn said, a dejected tone in her voice.

"What's wrong?" Ash asked.

"It's nothing a good battle won't take my mind off of." She said, forcing a smile.

"If you say so. I'll see you after the match." Ash replied.

"See ya." Dawn said, heading off into the stands. As she was walking, she was deep in thought about the meet up with Ritchie. _Why was he so quick to deny it? I saw his face get red, but he denied it so quickly, I don't know whether to believe my eyes or my ears. Maybe Pikachu will know._

She started talking to Pikachu.

"Why is he so dense?" She asked him.

"Pika?"

"Oh cut the act. I know you know what I'm talking about."

"Chu," Pikachu sighed.

"I know I can't understand you like Ash can, but can you at least answer me this?"  
Pikachu looked at her, wondering what this was about.

Dawn mustered up the question that had been bugging her ever since the end of Sinnoh. She had a feeling that she was right, and it was just his denseness preventing things from getting through, she still wondered if it was a lost cause after all this time.

"Does Ash like me as more than a friend?"

* * *

**Sorry for the shorter chapter, but I hate writing more than one battle in a chapter, especially double battles. I made that mistake with the first round, where I wrote five, and they were really unimpressive in retrospect.**

**Cliffhanger! What will Pikachu answer? Even though it might be obvious, I felt like it was a good place to leave off. Also, Ritchie returns! I always felt like Ash should have met back up with him, but I guess the Pokémon anime creators don't agree. Oh well. Their battle will be in the next chapter, then it goes back to Jake and May.**

**Anyone who gets what Danny was a reference to gets an Internet cookie.**

**OC submissions are now closed, so please don't send any more in. However, I want to thank all who did. I will use most of them during the upcoming tournament, so stay tuned for that. **

**Regarding the OCs, I never mentioned this, but when a Pokémon was submitted with only four or five moves, I may not use any of them. I use them for reference. I write the battles based on how a Pokémon would be most effective. I honestly see no reason to use Hyper Beam or Blast Burn. Once that move has been used, the Pokémon is a sitting duck for a counter attack. Same goes for Solar Beam, the charge time makes the Pokémon vulnerable. Sorry for any inconvenience. The larger the movepool, the more likely I will use the moves. **

**Thanks for reading, and as always, R&R everyone!**


	19. Chapter 18

**So this chapter will conclude Ash's fourth battle of the qualifiers. Enjoy**

* * *

"Pika!" Pikachu was surprised at the question. He knew his trainer was dense, and wasn't sure how he should answer. He had a feeling that Ash felt something special about Dawn, but he didn't know, since Ash never talked about the subject.

"What does that mean?" Dawn asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu made a motion as if he was zipping his lips closed.

"Not telling, huh? I should have figured." _Even though Pikachu isn't saying anything, the fact that Ash blushes at seeing my new outfit has to mean __**something**__, right?_ She continued to the bleachers, deep in thought, and sat down in the front row, Pikachu on her shoulder. "You ready Pikachu? Ash should be out in a few minutes, then his battle will start!"

"Pika!" He cooed, excited to see the upcoming match.

* * *

Ash was heading into the trainer's room. He was still wondering about Dawn's sudden change in character.

"What was that all about?" He wondered aloud, pulling two Pokeballs from his belt. He released them, revealing Typhlosion and Sceptile.

Sceptile immediately put his signature twig in his mouth, then gave his full attention to Ash.

"Okay guys, I'm facing one of my oldest friends. He beat me once because Charizard wouldn't listen to me. I'm sure I won't have that problem with you two. Watch each other's backs, and do your best."

His Pokémon nodded, a bell ringing in the background, signaling Ash to head out to the battlefield.

He recalled his Pokémon and headed out. The crowd was large, as usual during the double battle rounds. This was Ash's last match of the qualifiers, win or lose. He was facing one of his oldest friends, having lost to him during his Kanto quest. He looked into the crowd, and saw Dawn and Pikachu cheering for him. He took a deep breath as he stepped into the trainer's box.

Ritchie Speed was already in his own trainer's box, having arrived a minute earlier.  
Ritchie looked a bit like Ash in the physical sense, however his clothing was different. He wore a blue hat with a horizontal yellow stripe running across it on his head. He wore a green t-shirt with a dark blue vest over it. He wore pants the same color as his shirt. He looked over at Ash and spoke up.

"Ash, let's make this the best battle we've ever fought." He said, determination in his eyes.

"I'm with you on this one. No matter who wins, we should still remain friends. I'm giving it my all, and I hope you will too." Ash replied.

"Of course."

Before the two could say anything more, the ref began his pre battle statements.

"This will be a two on two battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Ritchie Speed of Frodomar City. This match is a two on two double battle, and it is over when both of either side's Pokémon cannot continue battling. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. The winner of this match will continue on to Driftveil City, and the loser goes home. Both trainers will send out their Pokémon at my command. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes!" Ash and Ritchie said together.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, raising his flags.

"Zippo, Happy, let's go!" Ritchie shouted. He threw two Pokeballs, releasing a Charizard and Butterfree.

"Sceptile, Typhlosion, I choose you!" Ash shouted. He threw two Pokeballs, and the Forest and Volcano Pokémon appeared, ready for battle. Sceptile placed his signature twig in his mouth before striking a battle ready pose.

"I would've thought that you'd choose Cruise," Ash said.

"I was going to, but I realized that Sand Stream would've done more harm than good. Time to start this battle," Ritchie replied. "Zippo, Flamethrower on Sceptile! Happy, Stun Spore on Typhlosion!"

"Sceptile, Dragon Pulse on that Flamethrower! Typhlosion, burn that Stun Spore to a crisp with your own Flamethrower!" Ash countered.

Zippo released massive flames from his mouth, aimed straight at Sceptile. Sceptile retaliated by sending a green orb from his mouth at the flames. The two attacks crashed in the middle, causing a small explosion. Meanwhile, Happy flapped her wings, releasing a cloud of orange dust, aimed straight for Typhlosion. The Volcano Pokémon released flames from his mouth, burning the powder before it could go anywhere.

"Sceptile, Night Slash on Butterfree! Typhlosion, Flamethrower on Charizard!"

"Happy, stop it with Psychic! Zippo, Flamethrower once more!"

The two fire types spewed flames at each other, not giving an inch. The flames met in the middle, causing a power struggle to ensue. On the other side of the field, Sceptile enlarged his wrist blade, covering it with a dark aura. He charged towards Happy, whose eyes were glowing with a blue energy. Sceptile became covered with the same energy, but he expertly broke free using Night Slash, continuing towards Happy. He struck the Butterfly Pokémon with his blade, causing a significant amount of damage.

"Sceptile, Quick Attack into Low Kick on Charizard! Typhlosion, keep up that Flamethrower!"

Before Ritchie or his Pokémon could react, Sceptile charged towards Zippo in a streak of light. Zippo couldn't do anything, since a slight diversion would cause him to lose the Flamethrower battle with Typhlosion. Sceptile then kicked out Zippo's legs, causing him to fall into the ground. With no resistance, Typhlosion struck Zippo with a Flamethrower, dealing damage.

"Happy, Sleep Powder on Typhlosion, Zippo, Heat Wave in Sceptile's direction!"

"Typhlosion, same thing as before. Sceptile, use Dig to escape the heat!"

Happy released a blue dust from her wings, flapping them to send it towards the Volcano Pokémon. Typhlosion retaliated by repeating his previous actions, spewing flames and burning the powder.

Zippo, on the other hand, was struggling to get up. When he finally did, he had a look of pure anger on his face. He roared, venting his anger, took to the sky, and flapped his wings rapidly, increasing the temperature. Sceptile dug a hole in the ground to escape the heat, but was helpless to do anything else.

"Typhlosion, get Charizard to stop that Heat Wave with Lava Plume! Hit Butterfree if you can! Sceptile, stay put until it's safe to come out!" Ash commanded.

"Happy, String Shot on Typhlosion, prevent him from moving!"

* * *

Dawn was watching the battle from the stands, fully into it. The battle had lasted a good five minutes by now, and neither side looked like they were winning. Ash had gotten a few hits off on Ritchie, but Dawn knew that it was far from over. Being a Sinnoh native, she felt slightly uncomfortable when the Heat Wave started to spread to the stands, even in her new outfit. She watched as Typhlosion burned through a string shot with a Lava Plume attack, hitting both of Ritchie's Pokémon. Once again, like many times while she watched the battle, her mind wandered off, still wondering about Ash's earlier reaction. While she was in thought, she saw a man sit next to her out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey Dawn, what's up?" He asked, snapping Dawn back to reality.

"Oh, hey Brock. I'm just watching Ash's last battle. He's facing one of his friends he met in the Indigo Plateau." she replied.

"Ah, yes. Ritchie Speed. I remember him quite well. He and Ash hit it off almost immediately. They both got separated from the rest of us, when Team Rocket decided to try and steal everyone's Pokémon. Luckily, they were back the next day, and they had returned with everyone's Pokémon. They've been friends ever since." Brock said. He noticed that Dawn had been deep in thought, but decided to ask about it later.

"Speaking of Team Rocket, I haven't seen them lately. I wonder where they are. Although it's nice not to have to worry about them for once. Maybe they've given up."

Unbeknownst to them, one of the vendors stopped for a second, before continuing on serving a random person in the stands.

"Maybe. I guess they finally decided to stalk someone else." Brock replied.

Suddenly, there was a cheer from the crowd.

"Butterfree is unable to battle, this match will continue as a two on one!" The ref shouted.

Apparently, Typhlosion had hit Butterfree with one too many flamethrowers, causing him to faint.

"Hey, Ash is winning!" Dawn exclaimed, turning back to the battlefield.

"Yeah, now he just has to beat Charizard and he moves on!" Brock added.

"Speaking of which, did you advance?"

"Yeah. I managed to squeak out a victory in my final match. I'm going to Driftveil!" Brock said excitedly.

* * *

Back on the battlefield, Ash was issuing commands to his Pokémon. Sceptile looked worn out, while Typhlosion still looked relatively healthy.

"Typhlosion, hit Charizard with a Shadow Claw! Sceptile, Bullet Seed!"  
Zippo was tired, but he still had a lot of fight left in him. However, he was starting to look worried at the two attacks coming is way, waited for his trainer to give an order.

"Zippo, fly up and dodge that Shadow Claw! Then use Flamethrower to burn through those seeds!" Ritchie commanded.

Typhlosion charged towards the Flame Pokémon, a glowing purple claw extended. Sceptile started shooting dozens of seeds at his opponent. Zippo flew up, out of the Volcano Pokémon's reach. He was hit by the Bullet Seeds in the process, but shrugged them off as if they were nothing. He then shot a jet of flames, easily overpowering the small seeds and scorching Sceptile, who cried out in pain.

_Damn, Sceptile can't do much, thanks to him being a grass type, and he needs to get in close if he wants do deal any significant damage. As for Typhlosion, he doesn't have very many ranged attacks that can significantly hurt Charizard. Hmm_ Ash pondered. "Typhlosion, cover the whole field with an Eruption! Sceptile, Dig to dodge!"

Ritchie knew that he had no way of countering one of the most powerful fire type attacks, so he could only watch what happened.

Sceptile dug a hole in the ground, preventing him from being collateral damage. The flames on Typhlosion's back grew four time their normal size, then a massive amount of lava came from his back. Zippo could only watch as he was scorched by the lava, dealing massive damage. He was forced to land, causing Ash to smirk in confidence.

"Sceptile, hit him now!" Ash shouted.

Sceptile emerged from the ground, striking Zippo in the back. Since he was grounded, the ground type attack was able to connect, dealing massive damage.

"Zippo, Flamethrower on Sceptile!" Ritchie yelled desperately.

"Shadow Claw Typhlosion! Sceptile, try to dodge those flames!" Ash countered.

Zippo unleashed a Flamethrower, hitting Sceptile dead on. He collapsed to one knee, smiled, then fainted.

Before the referee could react, Typhlosion struck Zippo with a purple claw, knocking him out.

"Both Sceptile and Charizard are unable to battle, therefore Ash Ketchum is the winner!"

Ash cheered, throwing a fist into the air. He had beaten Ritchie, one of his oldest rivals. One he had lost to on his first year of his journey. Now he was here seven years later, beating him in the biggest tournament of the year. However, he still remained a good sport, and after recalling his two Pokémon, he walked up to Ritchie.

Ritchie was busy recalling Zippo, giving him words of thanks for a great battle. He then looked up and noticed Ash walking towards him. Grinning, he started heading over towards Ash.

"Great battle Ritchie, one of the best I've had in a while." Ash said, meeting up with Ritchie.

"Agreed." Ritchie replied, holding out his hand.

Ash shook it. "You wanna catch up over dinner? I'm sure Brock would like to see you again, and Dawn won't mind."

"Sure. The last time we saw each other was the Orange Islands when we stopped Team Rocket from stealing Silver."

"Ah, the good 'ol days. Come on, Dawn's waiting for me in the trainer's room, and I'm sure they won't mind if you head over to my side of the field," Ash stated, recalling his hand.

"Sure, lead the way!"

At that, Ash and Ritchie headed off to the trainer's room to meet up with Dawn.

* * *

**So there it is, chapter 18. Hope you liked it. Ash beats Ritchie, and he goes on to Driftveil, as well as Brock. Next chapter goes back to Jake and May, so what happens after this won't be for a while. There's a little hint of foreshadowing in the chapter, so kudos to you if you figure it out. Just don't spoil it for others. That's all I have to say, so as always, read and review everyone!**


	20. Chapter 19

**Before you read, I have a poll on my profile. I want to know if you want a commentator for the main stages of the tournament (the 6v6 battles) like I did with the first two chapters, or if I should leave them as is. Go vote before you read, then come back to this.**

**Sorry this is later than usual. I had to go to the ER for my foot. I'm fine, just have to walk around with a cane for a few days. Not looking forward to the shit I'll get for it though.**

**That aside, enjoy Chapter 19.**

* * *

Summary: Jake has just won his first two double battles, defeating the previous Hoenn League winner Marcus Alberts. After meeting up with Max and May following the match, the three decided to head out to lunch.

"Wait up Max!" May called, running in a full sprint to catch up to her little brother.

"No! You catch up Slowpoke!" Max teased. After seeing his sister kiss Jake, he ran off ahead of them, not wanting to be left in an awkward situation.

Jake decided to just keep to a steady jog, he'd need to conserve his energy for his next two matches. He also had a passenger, and Eevee never liked it when Jake sprinted when he was hitching a ride.

The trio finally arrived at the Giant Wailord. Max first, followed by May then Jake. They were seated at a table by the same waitress as last time, and had their orders taken. Jake and May sat next to each other, and Max sat on the other side of the table.

"So what are you gonna do after this?" Max asked Jake.

"I'm gonna exchange my Pokémon for the next two battles at the Pokémon Center." He replied.

"So Swampert and Excadrill are a pair?" May asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Since both your Garchomp and Excadrill can take advantage of Sandstorm with their abilities, why not pair them together?"

"I never thought of that. After the tournament, I'll see how it goes. Thanks." Jake said with a smile.

"Speaking of which, you seem to like Ground types. What others do you have?" Max inquired.

"Let's see... Juggernaught, which is Excadrill, Riptide, which is Swampert, Maverick, which is Garchomp, Drapula, which is Gliscor, and Tusk, my Mamoswine." Jake listed.

"Wow. That's a lot. Is it your favorite type?" May asked.

"No. My favorite type is the Fire type."

"Mine's the Normal type." Max said. "They're a jack of all trades."

"Yeah, but they have no resistances, and their coverage moves aren't as powerful as they would normally be."

"What Normal types do you have?"

"Talon."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"Vui!" Eevee said, an annoyed look on his face.

Jake turned towards the Evolution Pokémon, who had since found a nice spot on the table. "Sorry bud, how could I forget about you?" Jake said.

May looked over, and noticed that their food had arrived. She alerted everyone, and they all started eating, making more small talk while doing so.

* * *

"May, you know Professor Birch, right?" Jake asked. They were in the Pokémon Center by the video phones, having just finished eating lunch.

"Yeah, he's the one who gave me Torchic. Why?" She replied.

"Just wondering."

Jake picked up the phone and dialed a number. A few seconds later, a large man appeared.

"Hey professor, it's me again!" Jake said.

"Hey Jake," Birch replied. He looked over, and saw May standing there. "Hey May, it's been awhile since I've seen you. How have you been?" He asked.

"I've been good," she replied sheepishly.

Professor Birch redirected his attention back to Jake. "I take it you want to exchange your Pokémon now?" He asked.

"Yeah. I'm sending over Grace, Blade, and Shadow over. I need Juggernaught, Flare, and Shockwave." Jake replied, putting three Pokeballs in the transporter.

"Certainly, I'll be right back." The professor then walked out of sight, returning a few minutes later. "Here they are," he said. He pulled three Pokeballs out of the machine in his right hand, and placed three more into it with his left. A flash of light later, Jake had received his Pokémon.

"Thanks professor, I'll talk to you later."

"Good luck! Bye Jake, bye May!" Birch said, before hanging up.

Jake turned towards May. "I gotta head over to the stadium, I don't wanna be late he said, before running off.

"Wait for me!" She exclaimed, chasing after him.

* * *

"I'll see you two after the match," Jake said.

"Okay, I'm gonna go find us some seats." Max replied, running off. "Good luck." He called.

"Eevee, you know the drill, stay with May until after the match."

"Eevee!" He exclaimed, jumping on to May's shoulder, rubbing against her affectionately.

"At least I don't have to worry about him not liking you," Jake muttered.

"Alright, enough of that. Win this one for me!" May said, giving Jake a peck on the cheek. "Good luck!"

"Th-thanks." Jake replied meekly, his face beet red.

May smiled at him, before heading off into the stands.

Jake, once again, was frozen _again, really? What is up with me?_ he asked himself, finally able to head into the trainer's room. Once inside, he released two Pokémon.  
The Subterrene Pokémon and the Mud Fish Pokémon appeared. They both looked at him expectantly.

"Alright guys, you know the drill. Sandstorm offense. Cover each other, and hide in the sand. I've looked up my opponent. His name is Zack Oliver, and he's the same age as me. I've already figured out that he'll use his Linoone and Buizel, so look out for those two. Relax, and we'll win this." Jake said, giving a little pep talk to his Pokémon.  
A bell rung, signaling him to head out to the field.

"Return guys," Jake said, heading out to the field. He looked into the crowd, and after searching for a minute, he found May and Max. The former waved at him, so he waved back. He then eyed his opponent.

Zack Oliver appeared to be about Jake's height, maybe an inch taller at 6'3. He was skinny, and he had messy black hair covered by a green and black hat. His eyes were brown. He was wearing a checkered green and black button up shirt, black jean shorts, and black sneakers.

The ref then began his pre battle statements.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Zack Oliver of Oldale Town. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to battle. If one Pokémon is knocked out, then the match will continue as a two on one. This match will be held on a sand battlefield, and both trainers will release their Pokémon at the same time on my command. Are both trainers ready?"

"Yes." Jake said

"Yeah," said Zack.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, throwing up his flags.

"Juggernaught, Riptide, engage!" Jake shouted, throwing two Pokeballs.

An Excadrill and Swampert appeared, ready for battle.

On the other side of the field, Zack called out his Pokémon.

"Linoone, Buizel, let's go!" He shouted.

The Rushing Pokémon and the Sea Weasel Pokémon appeared.  
Jake made the first move.

"Y'all know what to do, Sandstorm. Go into Drill Run and Hydro Pump!"  
Before anyone could react, both Juggernaught and Riptide created sandstorms, which were amplified by the sandy ground.

"Buizel, stop that Excdrill with Water Gun! Linoone, dodge with Quick Attack!" Zack shouted.

Juggernaught raised his arms towards his head, turning himself into a drill. He then spun rapidly, speeding towards Buizel like a bullet. Buizel shot a stream of water towards him, but the spinning dispersed it. Juggernaught then struck Buizel, causing a good deal of damage.

On the other side of the field, Linoone was darting every which way, avoiding a massive blast of water from Riptide. Every time he got a chance, he would strike Riptide, before darting away.

_Damn, I don't think I've seen a faster Linoone. Time to switch it up._

"Juggernaught, Drill Run on Linoone! Riptide, Mud Shot on Buizel!"

"Buizel, dodge with Aqua Jet! Linoone, dodge with Dig!"

Juggernaught repeated his previous actions, this time aiming for Linoone. Linoone shot underneath the ground, avoiding Juggernaught, as well as the raging sand. The small victory was short lived, however, and Juggernaught simply followed him into the ground.  
Riptide shot balls of mud at Buizel, who was avoiding each and every one with an Aqua Jet. She would strike him every chance she got, clearly annoying him.

_So this guy likes speed. May was right. Maverick definitely suits Juggernaught better than Riptide. I can't believe I've never noticed this before. If Riptide can't hit anything, then I'm screwed. Wait..._

A roar of pain from Riptide brought Jake back to reality. Apparently, he had been hit by one too many Aqua Jets, which moved past the annoyance stage and started inflicting real pain.

"Juggernaught, into the air! Riptide, you know what to do!"

Juggernaught immediately resurfaced, shooting into the air like a rocket. Linoone didn't resurface, just like Jake had expected. Riptide reared back, and slammed his fists into the ground. The ground shook violently, and the middle of the battlefield started to cave in. Buizel instinctively angled her Aqua Jet upwards, avoiding the tremor.

"Linoone, get out of there!" Zack shouted frantically. No response.

After two minutes of no response, Zack started to look worried. He looked at Jake, who nodded in response.

"Juggernaught, go get him."

Juggernaught sped towards the ground, using his instincts as a subterranean mole to find his opponent.

Upon seeing this, the ref halted the battle. "This battle will be postponed until we get word on Linoone," he said in a stern voice.

Minutes passed, and the entire crowd was silent. The sand had died down, since Riptide didn't refresh it every few minutes.

Zack was shaking, muttering "please be okay," to himself every few seconds.

Nurse Joy had been notified of the situation, and was running to the side of the battlefield with two Chanseys flanking her, carrying a stretcher. On the stretcher was a bag, seemingly filled with medical equipment.

Jake was standing there, his arms crossed, staring at the ground in the center of the field.

_Come on Juggernaught, use your instincts as an Excadrill to pull him out of there_ he thought to himself.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, but in reality was only minutes, Juggernaught reemerged, carrying an unconscious Linoone over his shoulder. He noticed Nurse Joy, and brought the normal type over to her. Nurse Joy took him and laid him on the stretcher. She immediately hooked up some sort of machine, and started performing a medical procedure. Zack quickly ran over to the scene, although he stayed back knowing not to get into the way. Jake soon followed.

Buizel and Riptide followed their trainers, not exactly knowing how to handle the situation.

Nurse Joy continued her work, helped by her two Chanseys. She then looked up, a smile on her face.

"Linoone will be fine. He'll make a full recovery by the end of the day. However, it'll be a week before he'll be ready to battle again," she said sweetly. "Now excuse me, I need to take him to the Pokémon Center."

The crowd cheered at the response, obviously happy about the outcome.

Zack was overjoyed by the news. His demeanor changed from a solemn one to a cheery one in seconds.

Jake simply smiled.

However, the issue of the battle was still to be determined.

The ref walked over, catching his eye. When he got over to the group, he spoke up.

"Do you want to continue the battle? If not, then I have no choice but to count this as a forfeit."

Zack looked at Jake, who simply nodded.

"It's up to you. I understand what it's like not knowing what happened to your Pokémon because I've been in that situation before."

"I think Linoone would want me to continue the match. Even though my chances of winning are slim now, I don't think I'm ready to go down without a fight."

"So it's decided then. The match will continue as a two on one. The battlefield will switch to a dirt one, as the current one is in no condition to host a battle."

As soon as he said this, the ground shook, and the sand battlefield sunk into the ground. A few seconds later, it was replaced with a dirt one.

"The ref walked over to his position, with Jake and Zack returning to their respective trainer boxes. Riptide and Juggernaught walked over to Jake's side, and Buizel stopped in front of Zack.

"This match is about to resume, are both trainers and Pokémon ready?" The ref asked.  
Jake and Zack nodded.

"Then begin!" He shouted.

"Y'all know what to do!" Jake said. "Drill Run and Hydro Pump!"

Same deal as before Buizel, Aqua Jet!" Zack commanded.

Immediately, a sandstorm appeared, covering the entire field. Juggernaught used his new burst of speed to shoot towards Buizel like a bullet, who was using her Aqua Jet to get away. Riptide, not wanting to accidentally hit his partner, decided against using an attack.

"Riptide, make some barriers around yourself with an Ice Beam! Juggernaught, keep it up!"

Riptide started to shoot beams of ice around him. They formed into thick walls of ice, so that if Buizel would try to attack him, she would hit the ice instead. Juggernaught was still chasing down the fleeing Buizel, gradually gaining up on her. All was not in vain, however, as the Sea Weasel Pokémon took passive damage from the sandstorm.

"Buizel, do a one eighty and give him a Water Pulse!" Zack commanded.

Buizel immediately spun around, sending an orb of water at Juggernaught. His high speed and spinning motion dispersed it however, and he slammed into her, causing major damage.

Zack mentally scolded himself.

"Shadow Claw! Riptide, standby!"

Juggernaught's claw started glowing purple, and he rushed over and swiped at Buizel. He struck her across the chest, causing her to fly back. She crashed into the ground, unconscious.

"Buizel is unable to battle, Excadrill and Swampert are the winners! The match goes to Jake of Littleroot Town!" The ref declared.

Zack looked dejected he recalled Buizel, and walked to the center of the field. Jake recalled his Pokémon, meeting him in the middle.

"I just wanted to say thank you. If it wasn't for that Excadrill of yours, who knows what would have happened to Linoone." Zack said, holding out his hand.

"Don't mention it. You probably would have done the same. I want to thank you for a great battle." Jake replied, shaking his hand.

"Good luck in the rest of the tournament. I think you have what it takes to go all the way. Oldale Town and I will be rooting for you."

"Thanks." Jake said, breaking off the handshake.

The two went to their separate trainer's rooms. Jake walked into his, and immediately May enveloped him in a tight embrace. Eevee immediately hopped out of the way so he wouldn't get crushed. "That was an awesome match. But more importantly, you helped someone who was in need." She said.

Jake blushed. "It was nothing. I can't have something bad happen during a battle, especially if it's my fault." Jake replied sheepishly, returning the gesture.

"Yeah, that was some good sportsmanship." Max added.

"Thanks guys."

May finally released Jake. "So when's your next match?" She asked.

"In fifteen minutes. I think I'll just stay here, since I'm gonna be in the same battlefield."

Eevee immediately hopped up onto Jake's shoulder, rubbing up against him.

"You seem to be in a good mood, what's the haps?" Jake asked him.

"Vui!"

"Not telling me yet? Okay then."

"I'll leave you three alone. I'm gonna get some seats for us. Good luck Jake. May, don't play kissy face for too long!" He called, running out of the room.

"Jeez, he gets annoying. Little brothers are the worst invention ever made." May remarked, sitting down next to Jake.

"I wouldn't know. I'm an only child."

"Lucky."

"I don't know, I kinda wish I had a sibling. Seems like it would be fun."

"You can have Max," May said playfully, poking Jake in the stomache.

"No thanks, even I(bold) think he's a handful." Jake replied.

Before either of them could say anything else, a bell rang, signaling Jake to head out to the field.

"I gotta go. I'll see you after the match."

"Alright, I'll be rooting for you! Good luck!" May replied. "Come on Eevee, let's go."

"What, no kiss this time?" Jake asked, a grin on his face.

"Thought you'd never ask." May gave him a quick peck on the lips. "For luck." She said, heading out of the room. Eevee trailed closely behind her.

_That was nice, at least I didn't freeze up that time_ Jake thought, heading out to the field.

* * *

**So a slightly different battle this time. I just realized that last chapter was the one month anniversary of this story. Since then, this has become pretty popular, so thanks for the support.**

**Zack Oliver belongs to White-Falcon-06. Please don't hate me for what happened. The whole ordeal with the collapse was inspired by the movie October Sky. I watched it the other day in physics, and I thought it would be interesting to implement. I hope I pulled it off.**

**Next chapter will be Jake's final battle. I wonder what Eevee was talking about near the end. Hmm.**

**Remember to vote on the poll, and as always, read and review everyone!**


	21. Chapter 20

** I have quite a bit to say after the chapter, so enjoy. Also, don't forget to vote in the poll!**

* * *

Jake headed out to the field, feeling very confident. He immediately noticed the grass, taking note of the field. On the other side of the field stood a trainer who looked to be in his late teens.

He had a heavyset appearance and orange hair tied in a pony tail. His attire resembled that of a Samurai, with his baggy pants being a dark red, and his shirt being a light red.

* * *

May had just found Max, and immediately headed his way. Once she got there, she sat down next to him. Eevee decided to hop up and sit on her lap.

"What took you so long?" Max smirked.

"Nothing. We were just talking." May replied.

"Suure."

The only response was a smack to the back of his head.

Max pouted, turning his attention to the battlefield. His eyes widened when he saw Jake's opponent emerge.

"Hey May, isn't that Morrison?" He asked.

May studied the trainer across from Jake, before giving her answer.

"Yeah, I think it is!" She replied.

"Let's go see him after the match!" Max suggested.

"Sure."

"Vui?" Eevee asked, cocking his head.

"Oh, Morrison is a trainer we met back when we travelled with Ash during the Ever Grande Conference." May explained, scratching Eevee behind his ears.

"Eevee." He cooed.

* * *

You ready for this dude? Cause I won't lose this match! I'm gonna go all the way!" Morrison exclaimed.

"Don't get too cocky dude. Overconfidence always leads to making mistakes." Jake said simply.

"I'm not overconfident. I just know that I'll win!"

"That's what overconfidence is," Jake sighed.

Before there was any more chatter, the ref began his pre battle statements.

"This will be a two on two double battle between Jake Smith of Littleroot Town, and Morrison Andrews of Verdanturf Town. Each trainer will use two Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to continue battling. The winner goes on to Driftveil, and the loser goes home. Are both trainers ready?"

"You bet I'm ready!" Morrison exclaimed, pulling out two Pokeballs.

"Yep." Jake said, also reaching for two Pokeballs.

"Begin!" The ref shouted, throwing up his flags.

"Flare, Shockwave, engage!" Jake shouted.

The Gleam Eyes Pokémon and the Legendary Pokémon appeared in front of him.

"Swampert, Metagross, let's go!" Morrison shouted.

The Mud Fish Pokémon and the Iron Leg Pokémon appeared.

Morrison made the first move.

"Metagross, Magnet Rise! Swampert, Earthquake!" He shouted.

"Extremespeed into the air! Shockwave, bounce with Iron Tail!"

Flare sped into the air in a streak of light. Shockwave's tail glowed white, and he used it to propel himself upwards. Metagross swung its legs out wards, and started floating in the air. All three Pokémon avoided the tremor caused by Swampert.

"Flamethrower and Helping Hand!"

Immediately, Shockwave shot a blue energy at Flare. Flare glowed the same color, before sending a massive stream of flames at Metagross.

"Iron Defense!" Morrison shouted quickly.

Metagross's body shone with a silver glint a split second before the flames reached it. The flames simply flowed around Metagross, before they dispersed completely. Metagross barely seemed fazed by the attack.

"Thunderbolt on Metagross. Flare, you know what to do if Swampert intervenes!"

"Swampert, protect Metagross from that Thunderbolt!"

Shockwave shot a burst of electricity at Metagross, who was still floating in the air. Swampert started running towards Metagross planning on taking the attack. A small knot of grass tripped him, causing him to fall flat on his face, dealing massive damage. With no one in the way, the Thunderbolt hit its mark, also dealing a good amount of damage to the metal titan.

"Metagross, use Psychic on Luxray! Swampert, Hydro Pump on Arcanine!"

"Shockwave, avoid with Dig! Flare, dodge and hit Metagross with a Flamethrower!"

Before Metagross could do anything, Shockwave had already buried himself into the ground.

Swampert unleashed a massive blast of water at Flare, who swiftly dodged it. He then blasted Metagross with his Flamethrower, burning it in the process.

"Swampert, Earthquake!" Morrison shouted.

Jake didn't give any commands. Instead, he just stood there with a confident look on his face.

Metagross immediately took to the air using his jet legs, while Flare simply waited to jump. Shockwave was still burrowed underground, his whereabouts unknown.

_What is he thinking? Surely he knows that an electric type like Luxray who is underground can't survive an Earthquake. Oh well, it's an easy KO for me!_ Morrison thought.

_Looks like he's fallen for my trap. All Shockwave needs to do is time it right. If not, I'm fucked. Just like we practiced buddy, come on, you can do this_. Jake said mentally.

Finally, Swampert slammed his fists into the ground, causing it to shake violently. Flare jumped up, avoiding the attack with graceful ease. Less than a second later, Shockwave burst from the ground, shooting into the air. His body was unmoving, causing a few gasps front he crowd.

"Double Edge!" Jake shouted hopefully.

_Wait, what? Surely he knows that his Luxray was knocked out from that. There's no way!_

Once Shockwave had reached the apex of his climb, he seemingly sprang to life, and angled his body towards Swampert perfectly. As he flew downwards, his body glowed with a white energy. He rapidly picked up speed, and slammed into the stunned Swampert. There was a big burst of dust from the impact. Everyone in the stadium fell silent, waiting to see the result of the impact. Once the smoke cleared, Swampert was lying on the ground unconscious. A battered and beaten up Luxray stood next to him, panting heavily.

"Swampert is unable to battle, this match continues as a two on one!" The ref exclaimed, throwing up his flag to signal a knock out.

"No it doesn't. Shockwave, return." Jake said. He pulled out a Pokeball, and recalled his battered electric type. "I forfeit Shockwave. He's in no condition to continue battling."

"And your Arcanine?" Morrison asked, shocked at the sudden turn of events.

"He's still in this."

"Jake Smith has forfeited Luxray. This match will continue as a one on one!" The ref declared.

"I may be at a type disadvantage, but I have no plans on losing! Metagross, use Thunderpunch!" Morrison exclaimed.

"Charge into it with Flare Blitz! Aim for the burns!"

Metagross, who was still suffering from the burn inflicted on him from earlier, powered through it, and charged towards Flare, his right front leg pointed forwards, cackling with electricity. Flare also charged in, covering his entire body with flames. Both Pokémon met in the middle of the field. Metagross smashed his leg into Flare's side, while Flare made contact with one of the burn marks. Both Pokémon took damage from the impact, with Flare coming off worse thanks to recoil.

"Sunny Day!" Jake shouted.

"Get in close with a Meteor Mash Metagross!" Morrison commanded.

Flare shot a yellow orb into the sky. Immediately, the sunlight got stronger, and the temperature increased ever so slightly. Metagross once again charged in, this time, its leg was covered in a silver energy.

"Flare, go into a Flare Blitz, but let him come to you!"

Right before Metagross made contact, Flare's body burst into flames. Metagross struck Flare on the side, causing him to whimper in pain. Metagross also made a metallic screech when its fist hit the flames. Both Pokémon were looking extremely tired at this point, and both trainers knew that the next attack would decide the outcome of the battle.

"Flare, Flare Blitz!" Jake shouted.

"Metagross use Meteor Mash!" Morrison countered.

Flare covered himself in flames, then charged towards Metagross, who was also charging in with a glowing leg. The two met in the middle of the field, and a massive explosion took place. Both Pokémon were sent flying back, landing in front of their trainers.

"Flare, I know you got this buddy, just stand up!" Jake encouraged.

"Metagross, don't give up!" Morrison shouted.

Flare was struggling to stand. His body was covered in scrapes and bruises, and he had seen better days. However, he was determined not to let his trainer down.

On the other side, the Iron Leg Pokémon was also struggling to stand. It too was determined to win, almost matching Morrison's.

_Bingo_ Jake shouted mentally, suddenly coming to a realization. "Morning Sun!"

Flare looked relieved at this point. His body glowed yellow, and he used the increased sunlight to heal himself. Immediately, Flare looked like he could take on the entire world. With his newfound strength, he was easily able to attack again.

"Let's win this! Flare, finish Metagross off with Overheat!"

Flare opened his mouth, and a stream of pure energy came out, racing towards Metagross.

"No fair!" Morrison whined.

Metagross was helpless to move. It could only watch as the fire type attack came racing towards it. When the attack hit its mark, Metagross succumbed, fainting in exhaustion.

"Metagross is unable to battle, Arcanine is the winner! Jake Smith from Littleroot Town wins the match!" The ref declared.

* * *

Jake had just walked into the trainer's room, and he was immediately swamped by May. She enveloped him in a tight bear hug, leaving him no room to move.

"Congrats! That match was awesome! You totally kicked Morrison's ass!" She exclaimed.

"Thanks." Jake replied meekly, struggling to break free of the death grip. "Can you please loosen up a bit? I'd like to be able to hug you back you know." He struggled to say.

"Sorry!" May said, loosening her grip. Once Jake got free, they hugged each other.

"Ugh!" Max said, turning his head. Once he was looking the other way, he said, "Hey May, you wanna go see Morrison after you're done playing kissy face with Jake?"

"Sure. I'd like to see what he's been up to lately." She replied, ignoring Max's earlier remark.

"I'm assuming Morrison is someone you know?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, we met him right before the Ever Grande Conference when we were traveling with Ash and Brock. Him and Tyson." Max explained.

"Tyson King?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I met him when I battled against him in the Unova League."

"Who won?" May inquired.

"Me. I finally beat that damn Meowth in Boots of his. Blazer put him in his place."

"You don't seem to like that Meowth." Max said.

"It had an attitude problem against Shockwave. He was worn out, and Meowth beat him after a short battle. Even after Shockwave was knocked out, he tried to keep attacking him. If I didn't recall him, who knows what would've happened."

"Don't worry about it. That Meowth just doesn't like other felines. Your Luxray resembles one, which is why he attacked. Come on, let's go see if we an catch up with Morrison." May said, leading Jake out of the room by his hand.

"Come on Max, let's go!"

"Coming!" He replied, heading out of the room.

"Eev." Eevee sighed, annoyed that the trio forgot about him. He hopped down from the bench and followed them out of the room.

The four had just left the room, and they started walking towards the other side of the stadium. The halls were crowded. Both trainer's and fans alike were busy walking down the halls to wherever they needed to go. Jake had since picked up Eevee, apologizing to him about forgetting him in the room. Eevee forgave him, saying not to worry about it. Jake responded by scratching him in his favorite place behind his ears. Eevee cooed in response.

Jake and May started to hold hands, walking side by side. Max was to the side of Jake, not wanting any part of it.

As they were walking, people came over, congratulating Jake on making it to Driftveil. One kid who looked no older than eight tugged on his pants leg, causing him to stop and look down.

"Hi mister Jake." He said nervously.

"Please, just call me Jake. I don't need to feel older than I am."

"Sorry, I just wanted to say that I'm you're biggest fan. Ever since you placed top four in Sinnoh, I've watched all your league battles on TV. It was really awesome seeing you win the Hoenn League, especially when I learned that it was your second time."

"Thanks. Do you have a name?"

"Trevor."

"Well thanks Trevor, it's nice knowing that I have fans."

"When I turn ten, I'm gonna pick a Torchic just like you did. I know that it won't be as awesome or as strong as your Blaziken, but thanks to you, it's my favorite Pokémon. I plan on becoming a Pokémon Master just like you!"

"Thanks," Jake said sheepishly, obviously flattered at the praise. "Trevor, do you want some advice?"

"Of course! Anything from the best!"

Jake looked at May, who nodded. They freed their hands, and Jake knelt down so he was eye level with the boy. "When you make your team, make sure that they have good type synergy. But most importantly, above anything else, you have to believe in your Pokémon."

"Believe in your Pokémon?"

"Yes. Believe in your Pokémon. In my match today, you may recall what Shockwave did, right?"

"You mean when he popped out of the ground after that Earthquake attack and owned Morrison's Swampert? Yeah, I remember!"

"When he was underground, he knew that I believed in him. Most trainers would have told their Pokémon to emerge immediately. Granted, I have been working on that strategy for a few years, but it still takes a deep bond between Pokémon and trainer to pull it off. I knew that if I believed in him, he would be able to pull it off. And it worked."

"So if you believe in him, why did you forfeit him?"

"Because I knew that he wouldn't have been able to continue after that. He was wiped out, and was on the verge of fainting. The same thing goes for Morrison. His Metagross was on the verge of collapsing, but he failed to realize it at the time."

"Thanks for the advice." Trevor said. He then started fishing through his pocket, and pulled out a card. When Jake looked at it, he realized that it was a Pokémon Card. The picture was of a Blaziken, with the moves Blaze Kick and Sky Uppercut. "Can you sign this for me please?" He asked.

"Of course, as long as you don't sell it on Pokébay that is."

"Of course not!" Trevor defended, handing over the card.

Jake pulled out a pen, and before he could sign it, Trevor asked another question.

"Can I pet your Eevee? Please?" He begged.

"I don't know, what do you say bud, is it okay with you?"

"Vui!" Eevee said, hopping off of Jake's shoulder and into Trevor's outstretched arms. Trevor immediately started scratching Eevee behind the ears, causing him to coo in enjoyment.

While this was going on, May simply smiled. (Wow, he's really great with kids. Makes me wonder how he would be as a father some day. No, don't worry about that right now. Focus on the present.) May said mentally.

Max was looking bored at this point, obviously not interested.

Jake finished signing the card, and he handed it back in exchange for Eevee. Trevor was overjoyed, thanking Jake about a million times. Jake simply smiled in response, and started getting up. Trevor said goodbye, and started to head back to where a man and a woman were standing, who Jake assumed were his parents. He turned around one last time.

"Oh, and one more thing." He said.

"What's that?" Jake asked.

"Your girlfriend is really pretty, she's a keeper!" He said, running off.

Jake stood there, dumbfounded, his face redder than a Tomato Berry.

"Looks like you have a fan base!" May said, snapping Jake out of his trance.

"Yeah, I guess." Jake replied meekly.

"What's the matter?" May asked.

"I just can't believe he said that." Jake replied.

"What that I'm a keeper?" May asked.

"Yeah, I just can't believe that a seven year old would think that."

"Do _you_ think that?" May asked, somewhat uneasily.

"Yeah, I don't wanna lose you. I don't wanna think about what would happen if we broke up." Jake replied. He was obviously uncomfortable talking about the subject, and it was showing. May noticed this, and squeezed his hand, trying to cheer him up.

"Hey, I think I see Morrison!" Max exclaimed, changing the subject much to Jake's relief. Max pointed a finger, and sure enough, the same person who faced Jake in the last round was where he pointed, eating a large sub sandwich.

Max immediately ran over to where he was sitting to greet him. Jake and May decided to just walk over to them.

"Hey Morrison!" Max said.

"Hi random person," Morrison said, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"You don't remember me?"

"Should I?" He replied, his mouth full of food.

May and Jake had just arrived, and immediately saw Max looking down, walking away from Morrison.

"What's wrong Max?" May asked in a concerned tone.

"He doesn't remember me."

"It has been a few years, and he'd probably remember Ash the best." May replied. "Come on, I'm sure that if he sees us together, it might spark his memory."

"Maybe."

The trio walked over to Morrison, who in a span of less than two minutes, had eaten all but a bit of his sandwich.

"Hey Morrison!" May said cheerfully.

Morrison looked up at May. For a second, she could've sworn that she saw a spark of recognition in his eyes. It then turned to one of disappointment when he moved his gaze over to Jake.

"May, right?" He asked.

"The one and only! The little dude who talked to you a few minutes ago is Max, my brother." She replied.

"I remember now. But what are you doing with him?" He said, pointing a finger at Jake.

"He's my boyfriend." May said meekly.

"Huh, I always thought that you and Ash would've ended up together," he said.

May blushed slightly at the comment. _Maybe if he wasn't so damn dense, we could've gotten somewhere. Oh well, its in the past, and I'm with someone who likes me as much as I like him._

"Anyways, we just wanted to say hi. It's been awhile since we've last seen you." Max said.

"Where's Ash?" Morrison asked.

"Not here."

"He's not competing?"

"I don't know. If he is, then he'd be in Kanto. You know, since trainers have to qualify thought their home regions." May said.

"Yeah, I knew that." Morrison replied unconvincingly. "You'll meet back up with him in Driftveil, right?"

"Truth is, we haven't travelled with Ash in a few years. I met back up with him once back in Sinnoh, but I haven't seen him since. Last I heard was that he was in Unova." May replied with a pang of guilt inside of her.

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence between the four that lasted for a few minutes, before someone broke it.

"How'd your match go Morrison?" A voice asked from behind.

All four turned around, and everyone immediately recognized him.

"Tyson!?" Max, May, and Jake asked in unison.

"Hey you two, it's been awhile. Sup Jake, haven't seen you since Unova." He said.

"Hey Tyson, long time no see," May said.

"Is Ash competing back in Kanto?"

"We don't know. I haven't seen him since the Battle Frontier." Max said.

"I see you know Jake."

"He's my boyfriend."

"So I guess I was wrong."

"About what?" Max asked.

"I always thought your sister and Ash would've gotten together."

"Does everyone think that?" May asked.

"I don't know, but it was pretty obvious you liked him." Morrison said.

May blushed slightly. "Yeah, I did. But he was so dense, there wasn't anything that I could do. Besides, I'm with Jake now, so it doesn't really matter."

"I guess not."

"Still got that crazy Meowth of yours?" Jake asked.

"Look, I'm sorry at what happened. Meowth has had a bad history with Persians, so I guess it rubs off on other feline like Pokémon." Tyson defended.

"Look, I have nothing against you. I just don't like it when my Pokémon is attacked AFTER it's been knocked out. He may have a problem with felines, but you should still make sure he behaves."

"You know, it's getting late. I say we all catch up over dinner or something." Max said, changing the subject.

"I'm with you on that one!" Morrison added.

"I'm in," Jake said. "May?"

"Sure!"

"You never answered my question though, how'd your match go?" Tyson asked Morrison.

"I lost." He said dejectedly.

"Who beat you?"

"I did." Jake cut in. "Come on, I'm hungry, so let's go eat!" He said, changing the subject.

* * *

**So there it is, chapter twenty. I'm sorry its late, but I left for Florida this morning. I am currently in a hotel, so this is the only time I can update. In regards to the rest of the week, I probably won't update until after I get back, but I don't know. I'm coming back next Sunday, so it would be then. Don't worry though, I'll still be writing chapters, giving me some cushioning if anything else comes up.**

**So May and Max meet back up with Morrison and Tyson. Honestly, how many of you remember them from the Ever Grande Conference? I do because I've watched the anime all over again a few months ago, and I wanted to introduce a few of Ash's old friends. Speaking of which, I rewatched it yesterday, and found out that this qualifier is exactly like it was there. The only difference being that you have to win more battles. I guess gen **

**3 rubbed off on me more than I thought. And some bashing against that Meowth. I never did like it. Too much attitude. And I couldn't help but make a few Advanceshipping references in there. My only excuse is instinct. In all seriousness, they don't mean a thing though, so don't worry. One last thing, I will be introducing two more of Ash's rivals in this story. When and who is anyone's guess (except mine) and also an appearance from an earlier character will commence soon. I wonder who that may be?**

**Next chapter will be mainly filler. After that, I have no clue, but it will stick with the current group. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer.**

**As always, read and review everyone!**


	22. Chapter 21

**So I finally found an opportunity to upload this chapter, so sorry it's a bit late. I should be able to continue the every other day upload schedule, but no promises. Enjoy chapter 21!**

* * *

The five all arrived at the same diner that Jake, May, and Max had eaten at on the first day they arrived at Slateport. They were all seated at a table, which was barely enough to fit all five. The square table was at a booth, with two people on one side, and three on the other. May sat on the end side with the wall. Jake sat next to her in the middle, flanked by Max. On the other side, Morrison sat across from May, with Tyson sitting next to him. Eevee had claimed a spot on May's shoulder that was next to Jake, so he could hop between the two at will.

The waitress took their orders, and when she left, Jake spoke first.

"So Tyson, did you win your last match?" He asked, breaking the silence.

"Yeah. I'm moving on to Driftveil!" He replied.

"Man, I'm like the only one who isn't going." Morrison complained.

"Hey, I got knocked out too. I didn't even make it to the qualifiers! I was knocked out by the same person you were!" Max piped in.

"I didn't knock you out, I just beat you. I'm sorry if I sound like a dick saying this, but it's not my fault you lost to that other guy." Jake said.

"Guys, lets not worry abut the tournament now. Jake and Tyson have moved on, so let's leave it at that. Besides, I wanna know what y'all have been up to since the Hoenn League." May said, changing the subject.

"Okay. I say Morrison goes first." Max said.

"Well, after Hoenn, I decided to travel to Unova. I had just learned about it, and I wanted to meet all the cool new Pokémon."

Morrison continued his story, telling of his various travels throughout Unova and Kanto. Tyson then recalled his travels through Sinnoh and Unova. The group got their food and continued to talk, staying there for quite a while.

* * *

The group had just finished eating. Morrison and Tyson had left, leaving May, Max, Jake, and Eevee. The four decided to head back to the hotel, and meet back up tomorrow. Jake had to leave on the ferry there in two days. He was allowed to bring one guest that was a non family member. Like he had previously asked, May agreed to go with him. The four had arrived at their rooms, and Max had already gone inside of his, leaving May, Jake and Eevee outside in the hall.

"So, we got two days before we have to leave. Is there anything you'd like to do here in Slateport?" Jake asked.

"I'd like to go to the museum. I never got a chance when I was traveling with Ash. Team Aqua took it over, and we had to leave before we got a chance to see it."

"Alright, let's go there tomorrow. However, like you suggested, I wanna see how Maverick and Juggernaught fare together in a double battle. Think you could help with that?" Jake asked.

"I'd love to. We can go to the museum in the morning, have a quick lunch, then train during the afternoon. Besides, it would allow me to work on some contest moves."

"Alright, cool. See you tomorrow."

"See ya."

The two shared a quick goodbye hug, before heading back into their respective rooms.

Jake walked in, and the first thing he did was plop down on the bed, the day's events quickly catching up to him. Eevee simply decided to find a comfy spot on the bed and go to sleep.

"Night, bud." Jake said.

"Vui!" The normal type replied, quickly falling asleep.

Jake was exhausted. Four battles in one day took their toll on a trainer, and Jake was no exception. Even though it was only 8:30, he was on the verge of falling asleep. He decided to get ready for bed. There was no point in trying to stay awake any longer. Within minutes, he changed into a black t-shirt and decided to sleep in his boxers. He brushed his teeth, and was about to climb into bed, when he heard a knock on the door.

Reluctantly, Jake got up, annoyed that he had to get up just as he was about to go to bed. He trotted over to the door and looked into the peephole. He saw Max on the other side, so he opened the door.

"Sup Max." Jake said.

"Hey Jake. Can I talk to you for a minute?" He asked.

"Sure, I guess. Come on in." Jake said, opening the door more so Max could come inside, and the two headed over to the bed. Eevee perked up at the noise, and when he saw Jake and Max coming over to the bed to sit, he decided that he would be more comfortable in Jake's lap. When the two sat down, Eevee went over to Jake's lap and curled up.

Jake started stroking Eevee's fur, when he asked the first question.

"So what is it you want to talk about?" Jake asked. He had a feeling that it had to do with him and May, but he asked for conversation's sake.

"I wanted to ask about you and my sister." Max said, confirming Jake's theory.

"Yeah, what about us?"

"You're not leading her on, are you?" Max asked, getting straight to the point.

"What!? No, of course not! Why would you ask such a stupid question?" Jake asked. He was shocked at Max's question. _Why would he ask me something like this? Wait, maybe..._

Even Eevee was shocked at the question. He cocked his head, wanting to know why it was asked.

"Cause I'm supposed to look out for my sister. I promised my parents I would, and I intend on making sure my sister is in good hands. I'm leaving for Petalburg tomorrow, and I need to be 100% sure nothing bad will happen to her." Max answered.

"Don't worry. May can look after herself. She's pretty independent. She always was, even when we were kids. I know you don't really remember me, but I can assure you that I won't let anything bad happen to her." Jake said confidently.

"Promise me you'll look after her when I'm gone?"

"I promise. Don't worry."

A moment of silence passed, before Jake mustered up the courage to ask his next question.

"Tell me, does this have anything to do with Drew?"

Max sighed. "Look, I know May doesn't really want this out there, but I only feel that it's right to tell you this. Long story short, when Drew and May were dating back when they were in Johto, he cheated on her. Led her on. He was apparently with someone else before he and May started going out."

Jake was stunned. Even though he didn't know Drew like Max and May did, he never did like him. In an interview after winning the Sinnoh Grand Festival, he seemed arrogant and had an attitude. When he first saw him in person, he was bothering one of his closest friends. He had battled Jake and lost, yet still refused to leave like he had agreed to. Learning that he had done something like this did not sit well with him one bit. However, he knew he had to keep his composure.

"Max, that will never happen with me. When I met back up with your sister, all the good memories that we had together flooded back. How we used to laugh and play together, how she was always smiling when we did so. Even though she didn't like Pokémon and I did, that didn't stop us from being best friends. When I saw her again, something inside of me sparked. A feeling I've never felt before for anyone else. A feeling more than just liking her. The point is, I would never forgive myself if I ever did something bad to her, she means too much to me, and I don't want to lose her. It might seem a little weird that I'm saying this even though we've been dating for only a few days, but I've known her my whole life. So don't worry, I would never do something like that to her."

"Okay. Thanks for being such a great—ahem—boyfriend to my sister. I'll leave you alone now. Good night."

"One more thing," Jake cut in, stopping Max from leaving just yet.

"Yeah?"

"Are you gonna tell her what you told me?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, even though she may not like it, I felt like you should know what happened. Don't worry though, she'll take it out on me. See you in the morning."

"Good night Max. See you in the morning."

Max left the room, leaving Jake sitting there, Eevee in his lap.

"Wow. I can't believe Drew put May through that." He said to Eevee.

"Vui. Eev. Eevee."

"I know, people like that really need to be put in their place. If I ever see him again, and he bothers us, then he'll leave with more than a bloody nose next time, just like I said."

"Eevee. Eev!"

"Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid. Come on, let's get some sleep. We go to the museum, then we get to see how Maverick and Juggernaught fare together."

Jake got under the covers, and Eevee found a comfortable spot in Jake's arms. Within minutes, both fell asleep, their tiredness quickly caught up to them.

* * *

Jake awoke, feeling refreshed. Eevee had already gotten up. He was sitting on the edge of he bed, amusing himself by rolling a Pokeball around. Jake took notice of this, and wondered who's it was.

_I hope that's an empty one_

Unfortunately, Eevee hit it too hard, and it opened. A flash of light appeared, and Eevee was sucked inside. Jake, having seen this happen before, simply chuckled, seeing how long it would take for his friend to break free.

The pokeball shook once. Twice. Three times. And then stood still. Just when Jake thought that Eevee had actually been captured, Eevee broke out, wide eyed and panting. Jake couldn't help himself. He bowled over laughing.

Eevee wasn't amused. He finally got his bearings, and when he saw Jake having a laughing fit, he charged towards him with a Tackle attack. It didn't hurt Jake, after all, Eevee was still at a low level since he doesn't battle. All it did was cause Jake to stop laughing.

"I'm sorry, but when are you ever gonna learn to not to mess with empty Pokeballs? That's like the tenth time that's happened!" Jake said, trying to stifle his laughter.

"Eevee!"

"Okay, okay, I'll stop." Jake took a deep breath, and finally regained his composure. "Come on, let's go get something to eat before they close the cafeteria. It's 10:30, so we're cutting it close.

* * *

Jake and May were walking down the road to the Slateport Museum. They had met up right after Jake finished eating breakfast. Max had already left, and they were walking away from the harbor, where they had said goodbye to the younger sibling. It was a bit emotional for May, but secretly she was glad that he was gone, since that would give her more alone time with Jake. They were walking hand in hand, Eevee sitting on May's shoulder that was closest to Jake.

"I can't wait! Based on what I've heard, this museum is all about submarines and ships and stuff." May said.

"Yeah. I went here once during my initial run through Hoenn. It was pretty cool. I even got to meet Captain Stern!" Jake replied.

"I wish I got to meet him. Max and Ash saved him from Team Aqua while I was out shopping with Brock." May said dejectedly.

"Who knows, maybe we'll see him there. It's a long shot, but anything's possible."

"Maybe."

The two arrived at the museum, and walked inside. They were greeted by a receptionist.

"Welcome to the Oceanic Museum. There is a $5 entrance fee. We offer many exhibits on the ocean, and upstairs there are models of submarines and ships. We hope you enjoy your stay."

Jake pulled out his wallet, and handed over ten bucks to pay for the tickets.

"Please enjoy yourselves," the receptionist said sweetly. "Have a good day!"

"You too!" The teens replied.

When the two walked through the doors, they were amazed at the impressive display of exhibits. The museum was one of those buildings that looked relatively small from the outside, but when you got inside, it was huge. There were hundreds of different displays of various things, all related to the ocean. That didn't even cover upstairs, which housed models and various things all related to ships and submarines.

"Where do you wanna go first?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. Alls I know is that if we were to see everything, we'd be here all day!" May replied, clearly impressed by the size of the museum.

"I wanna head over to the section that displays the habitats of all the water Pokémon that live in the ocean. Sound good?"

"Yeah, let's head over that way!"

The two weaved in and out of various displays, stopping whenever they found something interesting. Jake learned that Hoenn had the largest oceans out of all of the six main regions. May found out that the deepest ocean in the world was actually route 131. They continued exploring various exhibits, getting sidetracked from their original destination. It was an hour before they finally got there.

"Here we are, the Pokémon habitats exhibit." Jake said, reading the sign.

"Wow. Look at all these Pokémon. Corsola, Relicanth, Finneon, Lumineon, the list goes on and on." May said, listing off various Pokémon. She continued looking through the list, before stopping on a particular pink heart shaped Pokémon. "Luvdisc." She said.

Jake pulled out his PokeDex.

"Luvdisc, the Rendezvous Pokémon. It is said that couples that see this Pokémon are promised a loving relationship that never ends. It is said to be a symbol of love." It stated in its metallic voice.

"Do you really think that it's a symbol of love?" May asked.

"Makes sense, I mean they're shaped like a heart, and hearts represent love." Jake replied.

"I wonder if it's true that couples that see Luvdisc are promised eternal love." May wondered aloud.

"Maybe."

The two continued looking at various habitats, when Jake stopped at a brown Pokémon.

"Relicanth." He said.

"What's wrong with Relicanth?" May asked.

"Nothing. I just remember fishing once, and a Relicanth caught the line. I really wanted to catch it, but it escaped before Riptide could battle it. I haven't seen one since."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's really not that big of a deal. You're aware of Wailord, right?"

"Yeah, it's the biggest Pokémon in existence. Why?"

"Would you believe that I know a guy who caught one? While fishing?"

"How!?"

"This guy Billy, who I met in Kanto, caught one. He's got that body builder type of body, and we went fishing once when we were traveling through Kanto. It was off the coast of Vermilion City, and he got a bite. He fought it for hours. Finally, he reeled it in, and it was a fucking Wailord. It almost tipped over the boat. How it didn't, I don't know. He was somehow able to damage it enough with his Blastoise to catch it."

"Wow. Where does he keep it?"

"I don't know. He never mentioned sending it to Professor Oak, so I have no clue. He's from Saffron City, so I doubt he keeps it there."

"Maybe he released it?"

"Possibly, although unlikely. My best guess is that the poor thing is kept inside its Pokeball all the time."

"Well I don't blame him. Where are you gonna keep a 47 foot water based Pokémon anyways?"

"I don't know." Jake replied, looking at his watch. "It's one thirty, you wanna stay here or head out for lunch?"

May's stomach grumbled, causing her to blush slightly in embarrassment. "Well that answers that. Let's go eat!"

"Let's eat at the Pokémon Center. I need to exchange a few Pokémon for today's training session."

"As long as they have Ramen, I don't care where we go!" May exclaimed.

* * *

May was sitting down at a table, a big bowl of Ramen in front of her. She was waiting for Jake to finish exchanging his Pokémon with Professor Birch. Eevee sat on the table, a bowl of Pokémon food in front of him.

"You're a real cutie, you know?" May said, scratching Eevee behind the ears, causing him to coo in enjoyment. "I remember when Glaceon was still an Eevee. She hatched from an egg. I raised her from that egg when I travelled throughout Kanto with Ash. I brought her with me to Johto, and when I found out about the Wallace Cup, I went to Snowpoint City by ferry, and evolved Eevee there into a Glaceon. It was her choice of course, but it's just...different."

"Vui!"

"I don't know what you just said, but all I'm saying is that you bring back memories." May said. She then reached for a Pokeball on her belt, and opened it.

Glaceon appeared, and once she saw Eevee, they immediately started chatting in Poke speak, none of which May could understand.

"I see you let Glaceon out," said a voice from behind.

May turned around to find Jake walking up with a tray full of food. She eyed it with envy.

"Yeah, I was just talking to Eevee about when I used to have one. Now she's a Glaceon. I don't love her any less, but it's just different, you know?"

"Yeah. Eevee made it very clear to me that he doesn't want to evolve, like I told you." Jake said, taking a bite of a large cheeseburger.

"Yeah, I remember. Are you gonna be able to eat all that?"

"Of course. I wouldn't want all of this food to go to waste." Jake said, swallowing his food.

"You and Ash are the only people I know who can eat that much food and still remain skinny."

Jake was about to say something about May's eating habits, but decided not to say anything for fear of upsetting her. Instead, he said, "What can I say? I'm a sixteen, almost seventeen year old boy who needs to eat. I have a fast metabolism, which allows me to eat without getting fat."

"Well, the more you eat, the less time we have to train."

"Touché."

"So, who do you have with you?"

"Blazer, Maverick, Juggernaught, Riptide, Talon, and Shadow."

"Cool. Now let's finish eating so we can go train."

* * *

Jake and May had just finished eating, and decided to find a place on the beach to train. As they were walking, some small pink Pokémon started jumping out of the water. Upon closer inspection, they realized that it was a school of Luvdisc.

"Remember what the PokeDex said about Luvdisc?" Jake asked.

"Yeah. That any couple seeing them are promised eternal love. I guess you're stuck with me now!" May said playfully.

"You're acting like that's a bad thing!" Jake replied.

"Is it?" She asked coyly. She started leaning in towards Jake.

Jake took the hint. "No," he said, also leaning in.

Before they knew it, they were sharing a kiss. When their lips met, Jake felt a sensation inside of him it was different than the previous kisses. It felt good, and he didn't want the moment to end. That was when he came to a realization: he had fallen in love. He remembered all the good times they shared together when they were kids, to when they met back up only a few days ago. He couldn't remember a time when he didn't enjoy being with her. May, the girl who he was sharing this moment with, was the most beautiful girl he knew. He had come to that realization just now. He felt like the luckiest man alive, and that made him feel happy. Happy that he had found love. Any nervousness that he previously had, was washed away during this moment. He felt...complete.

May also felt good inside. She felt different this time. Of course, she had enjoyed all of the other kisses, but this one she enjoyed the most. She relived the memories from when they were kids. She relived the time only a few days ago when Jake stood up to Drew for her. She thought about how happy she had been the past few days. She had never been happier beforehand. She felt safe when she was with Jake. She then realized why: she too, was in love.

Both Jake and May enjoyed every second of the moment. They didn't want it to end. They finally broke off catching their breath. They looked each other in the eyes, and no words were needed to be spoken. They both knew what the other was feeling, and both were glad that they were.

Finally, after a few minutes of them standing there in silence, they continued on their way, walking hand in hand, smiling.

Eevee simply smiled. Seeing his friend like this made him happy, and even though he didn't completely understand the concept of human love, he had a general idea of what it was. Seeing his friend find it made him warm inside, and he knew then and there that changes were coming, and for the better.

The couple finally found an open space, and reluctantly let go of each other. Even though both of them wore gloves, the warmth that they got from each other's hands was enjoyable. Jake walked several feet away from where May was. May followed suit, and they were about thirty feet away from each other.

"You ready for this?" Jake asked, breaking the silence that had ensued since their special moment.

"Of course," May replied.

"I suggest you pick two Pokémon who know how to deal with a sandstorm." Jake said, pulling out two Pokeballs.

"Although I don't have any Pokémon who are immune to the effects, I know exactly who to use." May replied, also pulling two Pokeballs from her belt.

"Alright then. Maverick and Juggernaught, engage!" Jake shouted.

His Garchomp and Excadrill appeared.

"Beautifly, Blastoise, take the stage!" May called.

Beautifly and Blastoise appeared, ready to go.

"Alright you two. You may notice that this is a double battle. Upon the suggestion of my lovely girlfriend, I have decided to see how well you two can work together. Both of you battle extremely well in the sand, so we're going with Sandstorm Offense. This is just a training match, so don't worry about messing up, although I'm sure that wont be a problem. Right now let's work on accuracy over power. We're facing a very talented coordinator, so be prepared for combination attacks." Jake said.

Maverick and Juggernaught looked at him, taking this in. They then looked at each other. They knew each other well, since Maverick taught him the ropes back when Juggernaught was still a Drilbur during their travels in Unova.

"You two ready? Jake is a really strong trainer, so be prepared for anything. I chose you two because I know you can handle the sand. Let's work on some combination attacks to try and throw them off." May said to her Pokémon.

They both nodded, and struck a battle ready pose.

"How does a five minute time limit sound?" Jake asked.

"Perfect. Just like in a contest." May replied.

Jake dug through his bag, pulling out a timer. He set it to five minutes, and then walked back over to his side.

"You get first move, ladies first." Jake said.

"Fair enough. Blastoise, start out with a Bubblebeam! Beautifly, push it ahead with gust!" May commanded.

"Alright, Sandstorm! Maverick, hit Beautifly with a Flamethrower! Juggernaught, Drill Run on Blastoise!" Jake commanded.

Blastoise opened his mouth and shot dozens of bubbles at his opponents. Beautifly rapidly flapped her wings, causing the bubbles to fly faster than before. They shot towards their targets at a high speed. However, sand started to flow freely, amplified by the beach sand all around, which popped the bubbles. Maverick faded into it, and Juggernaught gained a newfound speed. Out of nowhere, Beautifly was struck by a stream of flames, causing a good deal of damage. Juggernaught spun his body like a bullet, and shot towards Blastoise, hitting him on his exposed underside.

"Beautifly, use Psychic to locate Garchomp and trap him! Blastoise, Hydro Pump on Excadrill!"

"Good luck!" Jake taunted. "Maverick, Dragon Rush on Beautifly! Excadrill, Focus Blast on Blastoise!"

Beautifly's eyes glowed blue, and she used a psychic power to try and locate Maverick. She found him, immobilizing him on the spot, preventing any attack. Blastoise shot two streams of water out of his shoulder cannons, aimed straight at Juggernaught, or rather where he used to be. Juggernaught avoided the attack, and he sent a blue orb of fighting energy at Blastoise. Blastoise grinned as the attack sailed wide, the notorious accuracy taking effect.

"Blastoise, Ice Beam on Garchomp! Beautifly, keep it up!" May shouted.

"Juggernaught, disperse it with Rapid Spin! Maverick, break free!"

As Maverick was struggling to break free of Beautifly's grasp, Blastoise shot a beam of ice at the blue outline. Juggernaught jumped in front of it, spinning his body rapidly, which dispersed it. Meanwhile, Maverick was struggling to break free of the psychic grasp, but to no avail.

"Keep it up! Both of you!" May encouraged.

"Maverick, get free! Juggernaught, close the distance!" Jake shouted.

Beautifly continued to hold a struggling Garchomp in her psychic grasp, refusing to budge an inch. Blastoise continued to fire the Ice Beam at a spinning Excadrill, who was slowly but surely closing the gap between the two. The ice was being dispersed to the sides, but it froze particles of sand, causing the unintended consequence of dealing damage to the backside of Juggernaut.

Jake took notice of this, and changed his strategy accordingly.

"Go into Drill Run!" He shouted.

With only a few feet between them, Juggernaught turned his spinning to a more offensive roll, and quickly closed the gap, slamming into Blastoise's underbelly for a second time this match.

Before either trainer could call another attack, a bell rang, signaling the match to be over. Beautifly released Maverick from her grip, and the raging sand died down.

"Great match you two. A bit more practice, and we'll nail it in no time!" Jake exclaimed.

"You too guys. You put up a good fight." May said.

"I have to hand it to you May, I think that's the longest anyone has kept Maverick locked up like that. That Beautifly of yours is strong."

"Thanks. You didn't so too bad yourself."

"Still could have done better," said a voice from behind.

**Cliffhanger! What happens next will be revealed next chapter.**

**We finally find out what Drew did to May. A bit of a dick move if you ask me. The idea isn't entirely mine. Some of you may be familiar with testsubject069, who is well known for writing The Aura is With Me. In his fic, something similar happened between Drew and May. I read that chapter the other day, and I realized that that same idea could work here. I added my own twist to it, for plagiarism's sake, just to be sure. Anyways, what happened will come to play soon, so there's a heads up. Go read The Aura is With Me. It's very well written, and much better than this.**

**And some more shipping. Hope it wasn't too cheesy. I never have been good at writing that kind of stuff.**

**Excadrill and Garchomp seem to be natural teammates, they just need to work out the kinks. Expect to see them battle together in the future. I attempted to write a half battle-half contest battle, so please tell me how I did.**

**Hope you enjoyed this semi-filler chapter. Guest reviews are on, so you don't even need an account to tell me what you think. If you have any criticisms, ideas, or anything else you want me to know, leave it in a review. I'll take note of it, so long as it's not blatant flaming.**

**Hope you all have a Merry Christmas Eve tonight, stuff your faces with good food! Tomorrow, have a Merry Christmas! That's all from me.**

**As always, read and review everyone!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Don't forget about the poll on my profile, it's the best way for you to give your input on the tournament. Currently, the neutral option is in the lead, so if you want to change it, go and vote.**

**Chapter 22 everyone, enjoy!**

* * *

Jake and May turned around, only to find the last person they wanted to see. Drew was standing there, a confident smirk on his face. May instinctively moved closer to Jake, and started clinging on to him. She wasn't scared, she just felt more comfortable knowing that Jake was right there beside her.

"The fuck do you want, Stanton?" Jake asked in a cold tone.

"Nothing, I was just taking a stroll on the beach, when I noticed you two having a practice battle." Drew replied.

"So then I guess you'll be on your way then, correct?" Jake asked.

Drew ignored him, instead he turned to May. "So it looks like you are with him now. Figures that someone like you would start dating someone after only knowing them for a few days."

"For your information, Drew, I've known him since we were kids. And who I date really has nothing to do with you. So beat it." May replied. Her tone was almost as cold as Jake's.

"If I recall correctly, I believe we made a deal that you would leave her alone if I beat you in a battle. And I remember kicking your ass, so I'm having trouble comprehending why you're still here." Jake added.

"What, I can't have a friendly conversation?"

"There's nothing friendly about insulting people. You used to do it then, and you would always try and fix it with a convenient rose. I was stupid to think that I actually liked you." May said.

"You seemed to like me then, why not now?" Drew sneered.

"BECAUSE YOU CHEATED ON ME YOU FUCKFACE!" May yelled. Her anger was getting the best of her, and Jake had seen enough.

He pulled out a Pokeball, sending out Blazer. "You have five seconds to walk away, or this dude will have a field day with you. Have you ever been on the receiving end of a Blaze Kick? Because I can assure you it's a not pleasant experience." Jake said.

Knowing that he wouldn't stand a chance against a Kung Fu Chicken, Drew decided that it was time to leave. "Whatever." He said, flipping his green hair. "Be careful with her, she's a handful," he said, walking away.

Jake stared at him, until he finally faded into the distance. Blazer did the same. When he was finally gone, Jake turned to May, who was on the verge of tears. He simply pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly.

May sniffeled. "I'm sorry about that. I just hate his guts, and after going through that, all I feel is anger towards him." She said, hugging him back.

"I don't blame you. I don't know what it's like, as I've never experienced it, but I can only imagine that it's a terrible feeling."

"It is," May whimpered. "I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner."

"To tell you the truth, I already knew. Max came into my room last night, and he told me what happened after making me promise that I would look after you."

"And?"

"I promised him that I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I'm sorry for not telling you this. Max said he was going to tell you, but I'm assuming he didn't?"

"No, he just mentioned asking you something important." May said. She had calmed down now, and was now talking in her normal voice. It still had a hint of rage in it, but it was nowhere near what it was a few minutes ago.

"Well, now that that's over, what do you wanna do now?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. Maybe another practice battle. I still wanna work on some contest moves." May replied.

"Alright, I'm good with that. Since I'm gonna be working with Juggernaught and Maverick, Blazer and Riptide don't have partners, so I'd like to see how well they do together."

"Sounds good. Let's do five minutes, just like last time."

Jake released May from his grip, and they headed over to opposite sides of the beach, leaving plenty of space for a battle. Jake set the timer to five minutes, and pulled out a pokeball.

"Hey Blazer, you up for a practice match?"

Blazer nodded, walking over in front of his trainer, striking a battle ready pose.

"You ready May?" Jake asked.

"Of course!" She replied, pulling two Pokeballs from her belt. "Blaziken, Venusaur, take the stage!" She shouted, throwing the Pokeballs.

Her Blaziken and Venusaur appeared, rearing to go.

"Riptide, engage!"

Swampert popped out, appearing next to the shiny Blaziken, ready to battle.

Hold on one second May, let me just think of a strategy real quick. I suggest you do the same."

"Alright then."

_Hmm. Sandstorm offense won't help Blazer at all, and Riptide is too slow to sweep. Damn, what should I do? I guess I could do offensive defense. I really don't see any other option, so I'm going with that_

"Jake, you ready?" May asked, snapping Jake out of his thoughts.

"Yeah. Eevee, can you set the timer for us? We're ready!"

"Eevee!" He said, placing a paw on the top of the timer.

"I'll go first. Blaziken, Sky Uppercut on Blazer! Venusaur, Vine Whip on Swampert!" May shouted.

"Blazer, intercept with Close Combat! Wait until you build up enough speed! Riptide, knock those vines back with Ice Punch!" Jake countered.

Blaziken charged towards Blazer, holding a glowing fist. She was upon him in a flash, and swung upwards with her fist. Blazer made a back bend, dodging the attack. He then started to strike back, using his signature combo of kicks and punches.

"You're gonna have to teach me how to do that some time!" May said.

Blaziken engaged Blazer in hand to hand combat, dodging and dealing blows. Neither one of them giving in. On the other side of the field, Venusaur extended two massive vines, and sent them straight at Riptide. Riptide covered his fist with ice, and punched one of the vines with it, causing Venusaur to grunt in pain. She retaliated by whipping him across the side with her other vine, dealing massive damage.

"Riptide, hit Venusaur with an Ice Beam!" Jake shouted. He decided to let the two fire types continue their fighting.

"Venusaur, counter with Seed Bomb! Blaziken, keep it up!" May commanded.

Blazer and Blaziken were continuing their hand to hand combat. Blaziken held her own, but thanks to Blazer's Speed Boost, he was slowly gaining the upper hand. He found an opening, and performed a Low Kick, tripping Blaziken. Riptide opened his mouth, sending a beam of ice at Venusaur, who countered by lowering her flower and sending several large seeds at it. The two attacks met in the middle, and caused a large explosion, affecting all Pokémon on the field.

When the smoke cleared, Blazer and Riptide were on one side of the field in front of Jake, and Venusaur and Blaziken were on the other side of the field in front of May. Before any more attacks could be called, a bell rang, signaling the end of the five minutes.

"Well, I guess that's it." Jake said.

"Man, I was just getting started!" May complained.

"We'll have plenty of time to battle later." Jake said. He then turned to his two Pokémon. "You two did well. I still need to figure out the best strategy for you two, so until then, we should keep practicing. I know this is new, but it's for the best."

May walked over to Jake. Do you think you could get Blazer to teach Blaziken Close Combat?" she asked.

"Sure, I don't see why not. Does Blaziken know Double Kick?"

"Yeah, although I rarely use it."

"That's all she needs." He then turned to his starter. "Blazer, you think you could help Blaziken learn Close Combat?" Jake asked.

"Blaziken!" He replied.

"Alright, I'll let you two work it out. I think I'll just sit down for a while." Jake said. He then found a comfortable spot in the sand, and sat down, stretching his legs.

"Mind if I join you?" May asked.

"Of course."

May sat down next to Jake, putting her arm around his waist. Jake followed suit, and they started watching the two fighting types.

Blazer was currently demonstrating the move, while Blaziken was watching intently.

"You think Blaziken will be able to learn it?" May asked, leaning her head onto Jake's shoulder.

"Of course. It took a few days for Blazer to get the hang of it, and that was with me teaching him. I'm sure that having a Pokémon as a tutor is a hundred times better," Jake replied.

"How did you teach it to him?"

"When I first saw an Infernape use the move, I immediately knew that it would be a perfect move for Blazer's fighting style. However, when I looked it up, I found out that a Blaziken can't naturally learn Close Combat, so I thought of a way to teach it to him regardless. Then I realized that the move itself is just a rapid series of punches and kicks with no letup. I realized that if I could get him to use Sky Uppercut and Double Kick together, it would basically be the same thing. We started out easy, with repeated Sky Uppercuts, and gradually added in Double Kicks. Now he's a pro, and he'll even add in a Low Kick at the end if he gets an opportunity." Jake explained.

It was a lot for May to take in, but she understood it nonetheless. She saw Blaziken trying it out for herself, so she decided to shout a few words of encouragement. She cupped her one free hand around her mouth, and shouted, "Come on Blaziken, you can do it!"

Blaziken heard her trainer, and was determined to not let her down. She started out by sending Sky Uppercuts into the air. First one handed, then with both hands. She continued doing this for several minutes. Blazer nodded, and she started to add in a Double Kick. On her first try, she lost her balance and fell.

"Don't worry about it!" Jake shouted. "Blazer had that same problem when he first started. Slow things down if you need to!"

Blaziken tried again, this time at a slower speed. After setting up the punches, she tried out the kicks again. This time she succeeded. She was able to keep her balance, and started to gradually gain speed with her attacks.

"Wow. That was fast." Jake remarked.

"What can I say, she's a fast learner." May replied, snuggling into Jake's shoulder.

"Let's see how well she fares against an actual opponent." Jake said. He then turned to the two fire types. "Hey, now try and hit Blazer. Blazer, block her attacks with your own, but don't hit her!" He shouted towards his starter.

Blazer nodded, and walked over in front of Blaziken. He then struck a battle ready pose.

"Blaziken!" He said.

Blaziken nodded, also striking a battle ready pose. She then started her assault, attempting to land a clean hit on Blazer. Blazer retaliated by blocking her attacks. It started out slowly, but gradually gained speed. Soon, it was a full fledged assault, and Blazer was having a tough time keeping her at bay.

"You can also use it for defense, just like Blazer is doing. You wanna give it a shot?" Jake asked.

"Sure." May replied. "Hey Blaziken, switch roles with Blazer! Block his assaults with Close Combat!"

"Blaze!" She replied.

Blazer started to go on the offense, using his Close Combat to go on the offensive. He was only trying to land a hit, rather than hurt her. Blaziken countered most of his strikes with her own, with the occasional punch getting through.

"Now combine it and take turns!" Jake shouted. He then felt something furry rub up against him, and realized it was Eevee.

Eevee, a little annoyed that nobody was pausing attention to him, decided to climb up onto Jake and May's laps, halfway on each ones. He curled up into a ball, and started dozing off.

"Aww!" May squealed, scratching Eevee behind the ears. "He's so cute!"

"Just like you," Jake replied.

"You need to work on your sweet talk." May said, looking up at Jake. She then leaned in, and Jake followed suit. Soon, they were kissing each other passionately. After a few minutes, they broke off, and looked at each other lovingly, smiling at each other.

While this happened, the two Hoenn starters began a full fledged sparring match. They started exchanging blows, neither giving in an inch. Blazer held back his Speed Boost, keeping a level playing field. The two kept at it, with neither side gaining any advantage. Suddenly out of nowhere, Blaziken tripped Blazer, and pinned him on the ground.

"Hey, did Blaziken just learn Low Kick?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, it looked like it! Good job Blaziken! I think that's enough for today, we can continue tomorrow!" May called out.

Blaziken helped Blazer to his feet. He gratefully accepted the help, and got up to his feet. He found a worthy opponent in his female companion, and was eager for another sparring match tomorrow.

"Blaze. Blaziken!" He said.

"Blaziken Blaze!" She replied.

"I wonder what they're saying?" May said.

"I think Blazer is thanking Blaziken for a good sparring match." Jake replied. He then looked at his watch, and noticed that it was almost six o'clock. "We better get going. It's getting late, and I want to eat dinner."

"Do we have to get up?" May asked.

"Yeah. Although I did enjoy sitting here with you."

"Me too."

Jake awoke Eevee, giving him enough time to get up. He then got up himself, and helped May to her feet.

"Is there any particular place you wanna go to?" Jake asked.

"I don't know. I'd like to go somewhere else besides the Giant Wailord. We've been there pretty much every day since you got here."

"Fair enough. Maybe we could just go grab a quick bite to eat, then goes to the movies. I saw a different theater than the one we went to first on the way down here. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good!"

Eevee hopped up onto Jake's shoulder, and Jake and May started walking together down the beach. They continued walking down the shoreline, when they saw the same school of Luvdisc, which brought back memories of only a few hours ago. Jake immediately felt his chest heat up, and when he looked over at May, he could tell that she felt the same thing by the way she was blushing. The two continued to walk past the water types, choosing to go in silence.

* * *

"Two for Snorlax Games at 9:30 please." Jake said.

"Certainly, that will be $12.85." The receptionist replied.

Jake handed over the money, receiving two tickets in exchange. Jake thanked her, and they headed inside.

They got two large bags of popcorn, and two large sodas. They headed into the theater, which was relatively crowded. Jake was able to find some seats near the back towards the middle, and the two sat down. Jake put his arm around May, and May leaned her head on his shoulder. Eevee found a comfortable spot on May's lap, and decided to take a nap.

The previews started, showing various movies that Jake wanted to see, but in reality would only see one or two of them. After about twenty minutes, the actual movie started.

* * *

"Man, what a cliffhanger!" May remarked.

"Yeah, that ending was pretty sudden," Jake said, dropping his garbage in the trash can.

"They're gonna make a sequel, right?"

"Yeah. The series is based on a trilogy of books, and that was only the second one."

"Did you ever read them?" May asked.

"No. I've been too busy traveling and training to read anything that's not Pokémon related." Jake replied.

The two headed out of the theater, and decided to head back to the hotel. They had a long day tomorrow, as the ferry left at 6:00 PM tomorrow night. They had to pack and get ready, and leave by five. They ferry ride to Driftveil would take three days, and once it arrived, there was one day before the secondary qualifiers started.** (A/N more on this later)**

* * *

Jake and May were standing outside their hotel rooms.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Jake said, pulling May into a hug.

"Good night!" She replied, returning the gesture.

Jake then gave May a quick peck on the lips, causing her to blush slightly. "Goodnight!" He smiled. He then headed into his room, May doing the same.

Jake slung his bag off his shoulders, and unclipped his Pokeballs from his belt. He then sat down on his bed, thinking about the day's events. Eevee decided to sit on his lap, snuggling up to Jake.

_Today was a good day. Minus the part where Drew showed up, I think it went pretty well. Not to mention the fact that I realized that I'm in love. I'm so glad it's not as scary as it's portrayed in movies._

Jake thought for a second, before reaching over on the bedside table and picking up a Pokeball. He pressed the button in the center, and a shiny Blaziken appeared. Blazer looked at his trainer expectantly, waiting for him to say something.

"You're probably wondering why I called you out, so I'll just get straight to the point. I'm proud of you for what you did today, helping May's Blaziken out."

"Blaze. Blaziken."

"I know, but still, it meant a lot to me, and it meant even more to May. But most importantly, it probably meant the most to Blaziken herself." Jake said. He said the last sentence with a slight grin. He was trying to figure out if Blazer took a liking to May's Blaziken or not.

"Blaze. Blaziken Blaze!"

"Okay, if you say so. It's getting late, so its time to get some sleep. You can stay outside of your Pokeball if you want, but it's up to you. Either way, you earned a rest for tomorrow with your hard work today."

"Blaze!" Blazer walked up to Jake, and pressed the button on his Pokeball, causing him to disappear in a flash of light.

"I guess not," Jake muttered, placing the Pokeball back on the bedside table next to the other five. He then turned to Eevee, who was dozing off in his lap. "I guess you're tired too." He picked Eevee up, and placed him on one side of the bed, and got up to begin his nightly routine.

Ten minutes later, Jake was in his boxers and a t-shirt, ready for bed. He climbed in the covers, and waited for sleep to do its magic. While he was doing this, he kept replaying that magical moment on the beach in his head over and over. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

* * *

Jake awoke, feeling slightly out of place. It wasn't until he saw Eevee still sleeping on the other side of the bed that he realized why. Ever since Eevee first decided to join Jake, he had always cuddled up to him in his arms before he fell asleep. There were only a few other times when he didn't, and Jake always felt out of place whenever that happened.

Jake looked over at the clock, and when he saw it was ten thirty, he decided to head down to breakfast to get something to eat before it closed for the morning. Seeing Eevee still sleeping, he decided to leave him be and bring him something up to eat. Jake put on a pair of shorts, put on his sneakers, and headed out the door, forgetting his hat, leaving him with an extreme case of bed head. He walked down the hall, taking the elevator down.

_I wonder what May's up to. Knowing her, she's probably still sleeping._

When it arrived at the first floor, Jake headed into the cafeteria, and decided to get a bowl of cereal and a bagel. As he was looking for a spot to sit, he spotted May sitting at a table. He decided to sit there. After all, they were dating. As he got to the table, May looked up from her pancakes and noticed him. She got up and walked up to him. Jake placed his food on the table, and allowed her to hug him, returning the gesture.

"Morning!" She said happily.

"Morning." Jake replied. "Mind if I sit?"

"Of course not!"

Jake sat down, sat poured milk in his cereal, beginning to eat it.

"Where's Eevee?" May asked.

"He was still sleeping when I woke up, so I decided to leave him be. The bagel is for him when I go back up to the room." Jake replied. "What are your plans for today?"

"I was thinking about going shopping for a little while, then start packing at around 3:30." May said.

"I'm planning on doing some training for a little while, then pack at around the same time as you."

"Aww, come shopping with me. It'll be fun!"

"Maybe for you..." Jake muttered.

"Please!" She begged, putting on puppy dog eyes.

Jake sighed. _I'm gonna regret this _"Alright, I'll go." He conceded.

"Yay!"

"So is there anything in particular you're looking for? Or will you just browse around aimlessly for hours?"

"Lighten up! I'm sure you'll find something you'll like."

"Maybe."

"By the way, I see why you always wear a hat, you're hair is a mess!" May giggled.

"Shit, I forgot to put it on." Jake muttered, blushing in embarrassment. He then noticed that May didn't have her bandana on, and her hair, although slightly messy, fell to her shoulders. "I see you forgot your bandana." He said to her.

"I did just get up. I guess I forgot about it." May replied.

"Don't worry, if you were to just brush it, I think you'd be able to pull off the look."

This statement caused May to blush. "You really think so?" She asked.

"Yeah."

* * *

Jake was sitting on his bed, getting ready to go shopping with May. He was dreading the moment. Even though he never experienced it first hand, he travelled with someone who had for a long time. The traveling companion in question was Billy Randall, the same person who caught the Wailord, and the same person who Jake battled in his dream almost a week ago.

Jake and Billy met when he travelled through Johto. They quickly became friends, despite the age difference. Billy acted as a mentor to Jake.

Even though Jake had won the Hoenn League in ip his first try, he still had a lot to learn. Sidney of the Elite Four beat him 4-0 in their battle when Jake took the Elite Four challenge. He lost to the first member, and vowed that one day he would win.

He met Billy in Olivine City, when he first arrived in Johto. Billy saw potential in Jake, and decided to take him under his wing, teaching him almost everything he knew.

Billy was an accomplished trainer, having won in Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Kanto. Like Jake, he had failed the Elite Four challenges every time, and was taking on the Johto League, but that's a different story.

The two became quick friends, with a mentor student relationship between them. Billy had his fair share of ordeals with girls, which is how Jake came to know about girls and shopping.

Thinking about Billy made Jake think about of he was in the tournament. Jake pulled out his Pokenav, and typed in the name. Billy's profile came up, showing that he had made it to Driftveil.

_If I battle him, I'm definitely gonna beat him this time, just like in the dream a few days ago_.

While Jake was zoning out, he heard a knock on the door, snapping him out of his thoughts. He walked up to it to find May, who was ready to go.

"You ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, I just need to get my bag." Jake replied. He went back over to where his bag was and slung it on his back. "Come on Eevee, we're going shopping with May."

Eevee complied, hopping onto his friend's shoulder. Jake then headed out of the room, linked hands with May, then headed off to where they were going.

* * *

May had led Jake to a mall. It was about a fifteen minute walk from the hotel, and it was spent with May talking about various shoes and the latest fashion trends, none of which Jake understood.

The two headed inside, and May went to various clothing stores. Jake decided to stay outside and sit on a bench each and every time, talking with Eevee. As May wanted to go into one particular store, Jake stopped her.

"I'm gonna head in there," he said, pointing to a store a little ways from where they were at. "I'll be in there, so meet me there when you're done."

"Okay." May said, heading into the store.

Jake walked over to the store he had pointed to, which happened to be Unova Braviary (**A/N I tried. It's a spin off of American Eagle)**. Jake browsed around, until he found a section with zip up sweat shirts.

_Maybe I can get a new one. This one is a few years old._

Jake walked around, until he stopped at a blue one. It was exactly like the red one he wore, except for the fact that it had a silhouette of a Braviary on the upper right side.

_Talon would approve of this_

Jake picked through them, looking for the correct size. When he finally found one, he decided to try it on. Afterwards, he looked in a mirror.

"Not bad, what do you think Eevee? Should I get it?" He asked.

"Vui! Eevee!" Came the response.

"Alright, I'll go pay for it then." Jake took it off, putting his old one back on. He then proceeded to pay for it, and headed over to a bench outside to wait for May. While he was waiting, he decided to look up various trainers who entered the tournament on his Pokenav. He scrolled through, and stopped when he saw Ash Ketchum. At that time, May walked up to him, a small bag in her arms.

"Hey May, did you know Ash was entering?" Jake asked.

"No, I haven't really been keeping in touch with him recently. But at least I now know that I can meet up with him in Driftveil." She replied.

Jake noticed that May only had one bag, and a small one at that.

"What's in the bag?" He asked.

"I decided to get you a present. It's not much, but I saw it and thought of you." May said sheepishly, a slight blush forming on her face.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to get me anything. I didn't get you anything." Jake replied, feeling guilty.

"Don't worry about it. You've paid for pretty much everything since we got here, think of this as a way of my saying thanks." May said, handing the bag over to Jake.

"Okay, if you say so."

Jake then took the bag and opened it. Inside was a white hat with red stitching and a red brim. On the front was a Pokeball symbol, almost like the one Jake wore now.

"Go ahead, try it on." May encouraged.

Jake took his current hat off, placing it next to him on the bench. He then put it on his head facing forwards, then started turning it backwards like he usually did. Before he could, he felt May grab his wrist.

"Don't. It looks better when you wear it forward like that." She said.

"You're the boss." Jake replied. He then pulled May into a hug. "Thank you, you know you didn't have to get me anything."

"I know, but I wanted to."

"You're the best!" Jake said, leaning in for a kiss. May followed suit, and they so were kissing each other. After a minute, they broke off. "Thanks again," Jake said.

"Don't mention it," May said, smiling at him.

* * *

Jake was busy packing his bag back in his hotel room. He had gotten back from the mall with May, and after making a quick meal out of cup-a-noodles in the microwave, he had started getting everything ready. He took one last look at his old hat, before putting it in his backpack.

Jake's hat, along with his sweatshirt were gifts from his parents when he set off on his journey. This was the first time Jake was wearing a different hat, and he felt weird putting it away. He then decided to change into his new sweatshirt, putting his old one in his bag with his hat.

* * *

May was busy packing everything in her bag, when she remembered Jake mention Ash. She felt a pang of guilt. She then realized that the only way get rid of it, was to call Ash. Luckily, she had his number on her Pokenav, and dialed it.

A few seconds passed, before Ash picked up.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Hey Ash, long time no speak." May said.

"May! It's nice to talk to you again. It's been way too long! Listen, I'm packing for Driftveil right now. Can you call me back in ten minutes? I'd like to see you over video phone."

"Yeah, sure. It would be great to see you again." May said. She then heard a click on the other side, signifying that Ash hung up. May then grabbed her fanny pack, and headed out the door. She stopped for a second, then decided to knock on Jake's door.

A few seconds later, Jake opened it. May immediately noticed that he was wearing a different sweatshirt than before, as well as the hat she bought him. She made a mental note to ask him about it later.

"Hey May, you done packing?" He asked.

"Yeah. Listen, I'm heading over to the Pokémon Center, and I'm gonna call Ash. I know you've been wanting to meet him, so I wanted to know if you want to come along."

"Sure. Just let me get my stuff and I'll come." Jake replied, heading back into the room. A minute later, they were headed off to the Pokémon Center.

* * *

May and Jake had just arrived, and immediately she went over to the video phones. She was about to call Ash, when she realized something.

"Shit. I forgot to ask him where he's at." She said dejectedly.

"He's in the tournament, so call the Vermillion Pokémon Center." Jake suggested.

"Alright, time for the moment of truth." May dialed the number, and a few seconds later, the face of a raven-haired boy appeared.

"Hey May!" He said.

* * *

**So mainly a filler chapter, hope you enjoyed.**

**The Snorlax Games make a return! To be clear, its a different theater than the first.**

**Billy gets mentioned here, the guy from chapters one and two. He'll be formally introduced later, and he will be different than in the dream. That's all I'll say, so I don't spoil anything. The scene of May giving Jake a new hat was inspired by Two of a Kind, a fic by Mayziken and CyberCubed, which is another great read.**

**Next chapter goes back to Ash and Dawn. Everything will lead up to the call. After that, who knows? (I do)**

**Just a quick note: if you want to know when I update this story, just follow it, and it will tell you as soon as I upload a new chapter. That's all. Don't forget the poll. As always, read and review everyone!**


	24. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23. Enjoy!**

**Summary: Ash had just beaten Ritchie Speed, a friend he had met during the Indigo League, in his last double battle match, allowing him to move on to Driftveil.**

Ash and Ritchie had just walked in, when Ash was immediately swamped by Dawn in a bear hug.

"Congrats on winning! You totally kicked Ritchie's ass!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Thanks." was all Ash managed to squeak out, as he was being choked by the hug. "I...can't...breathe!"

"Sorry!" Dawn said as she released Ash from her grip. "I'm just really happy for you. Now that you've beaten Ritchie, you can move on to the next stage!"

"I'm right here you know." Ritchie said, letting his presence be known.

"Oh, hi Ritchie, sorry about the earlier comments. I didn't see you there." Dawn replied meekly.

Ritchie, upon seeing Dawn's reaction to Ash's victory, quickly formulated a plan in his head.

"It's fine. Maybe I should let you have some alone time with your boyfriend."

Dawn immediately blushed at the comment.

"He-he's not my boyfriend." She stuttered.

"Yeah, we're just friends." Ash added. He also blushed at the comment, feeling that same feeling in his chest as before.

_Why am I feeling this way?_

"'Just friends' don't hug each other like that," Ritchie replied.

"Het Ritchie, can I talk to you for a second?" Asked a voice from behind.

The voice belonged to Brock, who had just arrived.

"Sure, I guess."

Ritchie and Brock headed out of the room, leaving a confused Ash. "What just happened?" He asked.

Outside, Brock and Ritchie started talking.

"What's this about?" Ritchie asked.

"Look, you've known Ash for a while, right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know how dense he is?"

"I noticed it a little bit when you guys were traveling with Misty. She obviously liked him, but Ash didn't even notice."

"Exactly. Dawn likes Ash, which you've already figured out. Now, you may or may not have noticed, but Ash has feelings for Dawn. It's just that he doesn't know it yet." Brock said.

"I've noticed. All I have to say, is that they're gonna need some help getting together." Ritchie remarked.

"I'm working on it."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's it. Let's head back into the room. I wanna congratulate Ash on his victory."  
The two walked back into the room to find Ash and Dawn talking.

"...yeah, I get to bring one guest that's a nonfamily member, and I wanted to know if you'd come with me." Ash said with a slight blush on his face.

"Of course! I'd love to come with you." Dawn exclaimed.

"Cool." Ash said.

"Congrats on your victory Ash." Brock said.

"Thanks. What were you talking to Ritchie about?"

"Don't worry about it," Ritchie answered. "Now let's go, I'm hungry."

"I'm with you on that one." Ash added. Upon hearing this, Dawn and Brock gave Ash questioning looks. "Oh yeah, I invited Ritchie to have dinner with us so we could catch up." Ash said, which seemed to satisfy the other two's curiosity.

/

Ash, Ritchie, Dawn, and Brock were seated at a table at the same restaurant that they've been going to all week. Brock sat next to Ritchie, and Dawn sat next to Ash. Pikachu was busy licking a bottle of ketchup on the far side of the table next to Ash. After having their orders taken, Ash started telling tales of his travels in Unova.

"So Ash, when did you get a Typhlosion?" Ritchie asked.

"I caught him as a Cyndaquil. He evolved into Quilava during the Lily of the Valley Conference, and again during the Unova League.

*Begin Flashback* **(A/N Thoughts are in parentheses) **

_Ash was down to his last Pokémon. Gabite, Infernape, Floatzel, Sceptile, and Reuniclus had all been knocked out. Ash's opponent, Rick Daniels, still had two Pokémon left. Ash was battling in the semi-quarter finals, and he was in a tight situation. Rick's Emboar had just defeated Ash's Infernape in a tough battle, leaving only Quilava._

_(Quilava can do this. Emboar is worn out from his battle with Infernape. One or two hits, and he's going down.)_

_"Quilava, I choose you!" Ash shouted, throwing a Pokeball._

_The Volcano Pokémon appeared. He immediately flared the fire on his back upon seeing his opponent, ready for battle._

_"And it is Ash Ketchum's Quilava! Will he be able to overcome the odds and bring the trainer from Pallet to victory?" The announcer asked._

_"Quilava, you have to defeat two Pokémon in order for me to win. Emboar is tired, so do your best. We can win this!" Ash encouraged._

_"Emboar versus Quilava, begin!" The ref shouted._

_"Quilava, use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted._

_"Emboar, get in close with Flame Charge!" Rick commanded._

_Emboar started running in place, building up speed. Once he did, he burst into flames and charged towards Quilava. Quilava retaliated by sending a burst of flames at the Fire Fighter. All it did was get absorbed by Emboar, and he crashed into the smaller starter, sending him crashing in front of his trainer. Quilava struggled to get up after such a heavy hit._

_"Come on Quilava, don't give in! I believe in you!" Ash shouted._

_There was a look of pure determination on Quilava's face. He finally got onto his feet, and started glowing in a white light. His body got longer, and his posture went from all fours to standing on two legs. The flames on his back grew in size as well. The glowing stopped, revealing a Typhlosion._

_"Typhlosion!" He roared._

_"Awesome! You evolved into Typhlosion! Now use Eruption!" Ash commanded._

_(Shit) "Emboar, dodge it, then go in for a Superpower!" Rick shouted._

_Typhlosion's flames on his back grew to four times their normal size. Suddenly, a huge burst of lava shot out from them, covering Emboar. Emboar roared in pain, and collapsed from exhaustion._

_"Emboar is unable to battle, Typhlosion is the winner!" The ref shouted._

_"And with an unexpected evolution, Typhlosion was able to take out Emboar with a single attack! However, Rick still has one Pokémon left. Will Typhlosion's newfound power be enough to pull out the win?" The announcer asked._

_"Emboar return. You did great, now take a rest." Rick said as he recalled his fallen Pokémon. He then turned to Ash. "Congratulations. You've beaten my strongest Pokémon. Unfortunately for me, I'm in a bit of a pickle, but I'm not going down without a fight." Rick then pulled out his last Pokeball from his belt. "Go, Ferrothorn!"_

_"Ferrothorn versus Typhlosion, begin!" The ref shouted._

_(Finally, my lucky break) "Typhlosion, use Flamethrower on Ferrothorn!" Ash shouted._

_"Iron Defense! Then go into Power Whip!" Rick countered._

_Typhlosion shot a stream of flames from his mouth, aimed straight at Ferrothorn. Ferrothorn's body glowed silver, protecting him from significant damage. However, his extreme weakness to fire type attacks prevented him from completely escaping from harm. Ferrothorn then extended one of his three vine like appendages and swung it towards Typhlosion, who dodged it with arrogant ease._

_"Another Flamethrower! Then follow immediately with Eruption!" Ash commanded._

_"Iron Defense on that Flamethrower, then use Dig!" Rick shouted._

_Typhlosion once again released a blast of flames at Ferrothorn, whose body was now covered in a metallic gleam. The flames reached their target, doing minimal damage like before. Typhlosion then flared up the flames on his back, and then unleashed a large amount of lava from them. Ferrothorn rapidly spun, drilling a hole deep underground, avoiding the attack._

_"Big mistake!" Ash taunted. "Typhlosion, go up to that hole and fire a Lava Plume into it!"_

_"Ferrothorn, get the hell outta there!" Rick shouted._

_Typhlosion ran over to the hole that had been dug and opened his mouth. A few seconds later, a jet of lava erupted from it, shooting down the hole like a bullet. A screech of pain could be heard, and a minute later, Ferrothorn shot up from the hole. When he landed, he was unconscious._

_"Ferrothorn is unable to battle, Typhlosion is the winner!" The ref shouted._

_"Ash Ketchum moves onto the quarter finals with this come from behind victory!" The announcer shouted. "This was the last match today, join me tomorrow for the final day of the semi quarter finals!"_

*End Flashback*

So what happened after that?" Ritchie asked.

"I won the next match, moving on to the semifinals. After that, my Gabite evolved into Garchomp during the match, but lost to a super strong Serperior, and I got knocked out." Ash explained.

"Have you been to Kalos yet?" Ritchie asked.

"I'm planning on going there after the tournament. Now, enough about me, it's time for you to tell us what you've been up to." Ash said.

"Okay, before here, I was in Kalos..."

/

The conversation lasted for hours. The two parties went back and forth, each telling about their various adventures since they last saw each other. Finally, they decided to call it a day, and they left the restaurant, with Ash, Brock and Dawn heading back to the hotel.

/

Ash was sitting on the bed, thinking over the day's events. Brock was busy looking something up in his field manual, and Dawn was in the bathroom getting changed for bed.

_Man, I can't wait! I'm gonna get to battle so many strong Pokémon! I hope I can hold my own against them. And I'm really glad that Dawn accepted my offer, but why? And why do I always get that feeling in my chest whenever I'm around her?_

__Brock looked over at Ash. When he saw his cheeks turning red, he immediately figured out what, or rather _who_, he was thinking about.

"Hey Ash." Brock said.

"Yeah?" He replied, losing his train of thought.

"You know, if you were to get Dawn something, I'm sure that would make her happy."  
"What for?" Ash asked.

_God dammit! Why do you have to make things so difficult?_ "Well, she has been supporting you through this entire tournament, which has taken time out of her contest run." _Take the hint, take the hint!_

"You know what, you're right. Maybe I should get her something. It's the least I can do for her being such a great friend." Ash said.

_That's progress at least._

"What should I get her?"

"Get her something small. Don't spend a lot of money, but also don't be cheap. What you buy is up to you." Brock answered.

"Okay." Ash said.

"And one more thing."

"Yeah?"

"Do not, under any circumstances, tell her I put you up to this."

"Why not?"

"Just don't. Trust me."

"Okay..." Ash started thinking about what he could get Dawn. _Maybe a seal for a contest? No, that's too cheap._

"Ash, it's your turn!" Dawn said, snapping Ash out of his thoughts.

"Alright!" He called back. He picked up a change of clothes, and walked inside of the bathroom, brushing past Dawn in the process.

Ten minutes later, he reemerged wearing a black t-shirt and shorts. His teeth were brushed, so he headed into bed. Dawn was already under the covers, and Pikachu was at the foot of the bed fast asleep.

He climbed under the covers and was about to fall asleep when Dawn spoke.

"What are you gonna do tomorrow?" Dawn asked.

"I'm gonna go out. There's a few things I need to do." Ash replied.

"Can I go with you?"

"As much as I enjoy your company, I need to go alone."

"Oh, okay," Dawn replied, an obvious hint of disappointment in her voice.

"No need to worry though, I'm sure Brock will enjoy your company." Ash said. He could tell that Dawn was upset, so he tried to cheer her up. "It's nothing I have against you, it's just personal business I have to take care of."

"Okay, I guess I understand." _What is he up to?_

"Good night Dawn."

"Good night Ash."

/

Ash was the first one to awaken. He then noticed that for the first time since they started sleeping in the same bed, Dawn wasn't all cuddled up to him.

_Bummer. Wait, what did I just say?_ Ash then shook his head clear of thoughts. He put on his shoes and then headed down to breakfast.

/

Ash had just finished eating, when he ran into Dawn on the way back to the room.

"Morning!" She chirped.

"Morning." Ash replied.

"Lemme guess, I was all cuddled up to you in your sleep, but you were able to manage to squiggle free, right?"

"No, actually you were rolled over to the other side. It felt kinda weird without you doing that though."

_Does he even know what he's saying?_

"Anyways, I'm gonna head back to the room, get changed, then leave, so I'll see you later."

"Alright then, see you later." Dawn said in a slightly dejected tone.

/

Ash was walking through the same mall that he had gone to the first day when he was with Dawn. He was deep in thought of what he should get her.

_Man, what should I get? I'm not gonna buy her any jewelry, that's too expensive. I don't know a thing about clothes, so that's out of the question. God, why is this so hard?_

"What do you think I should get her Pikachu?" Ash asked his starter.

"Pika! Pikachu pikapi!"

"You don't know either, huh?"

"Pika."

Ash sighed, and continued walking. He then came across a store.

"Any kind of gifts for any kind of Situation! Delibird's Gift Shop." The sign said.

Ash decided to head inside. _Hopefully I can find something in here._

"Hello, welcome to Delibird's gift Shop!" A man said. Judging by what he was wearing, Ash figured that he worked here. He was wearing a white shirt withered pants, and had a red baseball cap on his head. He gave off the impression of a Delibird.

"Hi, I'm just looking for a gift for my friend." Ash said.

"Would it happen to be a lady friend?" The man asked.

"Yeah," Ash said, not realizing the significance in his words. "I just don't know what to get her. I'm not looking to spend a lot of money, but I don't want to be cheap either.

"Might I suggest you get her flowers then?"

"Flowers?"

"Yes. Flowers. I'm sure she'd appreciate the gesture."

"Okay, do you have any suggestions as to what kind?"

"What's her favorite color?" The man asked.

"She likes pink and dark blue." Ash answered.

"Then I suggest you get roses. Follow me."

"You're the expert." Ash said.

The man led Ash to the flower section, which had hundreds of different flowers to choose from. He stopped at the roses, and picked out a bouquet of pink ones.

"Are these good?" The man asked.

Ash eyed them over, making sure they were in good condition. Once he was satisfied, he answered.

"Yes, I'll take them. How much?"

"$9.99 plus tax." the man replied, handing over the flowers. Ash put them in a bag made especially for flowers, and headed over to the cash register.

The man rang them up, and the total came out to be $12.50.

Ash handed over the money. "Keep the change." He said, before heading out.

"Thank you, come again!" The man said.

Ash walked over to a bench and pulled out his Pokenav. He then proceeded to dial Brock's number. After a few seconds of ringing, Brock answered.

"Hey Ash, what's up?"

"Hey Brock. Listen, I got Dawn flowers."

_Flowers!? Is this really the Ash I know?_

"Okay." Brock replied. Dawn was standing next to him, and he didn't want her to get suspicious.

"When's the best time to give them to her?" Ash asked.

"How about lunch time. Hide them in your bag, and meet us at the Epic Scyther in an hour."

"Okay, I'll see you then. Bye."

"Until then," Brock said. A second later, a click was heard, signifying that Brock had hung up.

_What am I gonna do for an hour?_ Ash asked himself mentally. He then turned to Pikachu. "What do you wanna do for an hour?"

"Pika Pikachu!"

"Sure, I just hope I don't lose track of time. Come on bud!"

Once Pikachu was on his shoulder, Ash started to walk out of the mall. He then passed by a newspaper stand, and a magazine caught his eye. He walked over to it and picked it up. The magazine, Hoenn Weekly, was well known throughout the Pokémon world, and it rivaled other magazines, such as Sinnoh Now! and Unova Times. There was a picture of this year's Hoenn League victor. It was a full body portrait of the same boy who Ash saw the other day when he was looking up to see if Max was competing.  
The boy, Jake Smith, looked to be about sixteen years old. He had large, auburn eyes, and short brown hair. He had a hat on his head, which he wore backwards. A sliver of blue was near the back, which Ash assumed to be the brim. He wore a red zip up sweatshirt that was partially unzipped at the top, revealing a black t-short underneath. On his shoulder sat an Eevee, who was simply smiling at the camera. Ash noticed that Jake wore baggy blue jeans, and blue and white sneakers could be seen on his feet. He wore black fingerless gloves on his hands, like Ash's, minus the green outline. He was holding a Pokeball out towards the camera, and had a smile on his face. His posture was upright, and he looked fairly tall, at around 6'1 or 6'2. There was a caption underneath.

"Local Hoenn boy wins League for Second Time." It read.

"Hey, are you gonna buy that?" The man behind the counter asked.

"How much?"

"Five bucks."

Ash fished for his wallet, and pulled out the money. He handed it over to the man.

"Thanks, have a good day!"

"You too," Ash replied.

Ash then found a bench and continued to look at the cover.

"Full story on page 15." It read.

Ash turned to the page, and found a four page article. It listed various things about Jake, but the most notable was an interview with him. Ash decided to read it. Meanwhile, Pikachu sighed. He and Ash were headed out to do some training, but Ash had gotten distracted.

Ash decided to read the interview. **(A/N this is just filler. Feel free to skip it)**

_"What's it like winning the Hoenn League for the second time?"_

_"Well, the first time through, I was inexperienced. I won, but after failing miserably in the Elite Four Challenge, I decided to continue my journey throughout the various regions. I had just come back from Kalos, and since the tournament hadn't started yet, I decided to enter. Luckily for me I didn't have to go to all the gyms. When I won, it was one of the best feelings. My Pokémon and I worked really hard, and it paid off in the end."_

_"Are you going to challenge the Elite Four again?"_

_"Yes. After I finish the Pokémon World Tournament, I plan on challenging the Elite Four."_

_"What's your favorite thing about major tournaments?"_

_"Oh, that's easy. The amount of shiny Pokémon. If you've never seen one, just go watch a tournament, almost every trainer has one. You'll be lucky to even __**see**__ one in the wild, but so many trainers have them, you'd think that they were common."_

_"Why do you nickname your Pokémon?"_

_"I nickname them because then I feel a more personal connection to them when I do. Everyone may have a Gardevoir, but very few people will call that Gardevoir Grace."_

_"I see. Can you tell me about how your battling style?"_

_"Now that would be telling. However, I will tell you that it depends on who I use. I play to the strengths of my Pokémon."_

_"Okay, just a few more questions. How did you meet your Eevee?"_

_"I saved him from a poacher. After saving him, Eevee decided to come with me. I've never actually captured him, but we've remained best friends ever since."_

_"That's a touching story. Who did you look up to before you decided to become a trainer?"_

_"Two people. The first, Harrison James, is from my hometown in Littleroot. I didn't know him personally, but he was a family friend, and I followed his travels after he left on his journey."_

_"Who's the other?"_

_"Ash Ketchum."_

Upon reading this, Ash raised an eyebrow. _Wow, this kid looks up to me?_

_"Ash placed in the top 16 in the Indigo League, which was his first league. I decided to keep up with his journeys, and I've always admired his out of the box battling style. I'm hoping to battle him in the upcoming tournament."_

_"Final question. To any aspiring trainers out there, do you have any advice?"_

_"Yes. Two things. One, make sure your team has great type synergy. If you use all of one type, then you'll be easy to beat. But most importantly, you have to believe in your Pokémon. Have trust in them, and they will trust you. There's nothing more important than that."_

_"Alright, thank you for this interview. To all our readers out there, please be sure to catch the Pokémon World Tournament on TV! By the time this is published, the Driftveil rounds will be only a few days away! That's all for today folks!"_

Ash finished reading the interview, and immediately took out his Pokenav. _Let's see how good this guy really is._

He typed in the name, and Jake's profile appeared.

"Hmm. Two time Hoenn League winner. Top four in Unova, Kalos, and Sinnoh. Top eight in Kanto and Johto. All stuff I've seen before."

Ash continued scrolling down the page, and stopped when he saw the Pokémon section.

"Damn, he's got a lot. Most known for using Greninja, Luxray, Garchomp, Metagross, Swampert, and Blaziken. Not to mention he has a bunch of others."

Ash continued scrolling.

"Aha! He made it to Driftveil. I'm definitely gonna have to meet him."

While this was going on, Pikachu was merely sitting there, wondering why Ash was talking to himself. He had already given up on the notion of training before lunch, so he simply sat on his trainer's shoulder, bored out of his mind.

Ash continued to look through Jake's Pokémon, when a call appeared on screen. Ash answered it.

"Hello?"

"Ash, where are you? We've been waiting for twenty minutes for you to arrive. You're not training, are you?" Brock asked.

"No. I just got distracted. I'm on my way!" Ash then hung up. "Come on Pikachu, we're late!" Ash said. He then picked up the magazine, and basically sprinted all the way there.

**So there's a little bit of back story in this chapter. To be clear, this fic is AU after the quarter finals of the Sinnoh League. Tobias doesn't exist, therefore Ash went all the way and won. Brock and Dawn traveled with him to Unova, where he placed in the top four. Iris doesn't exist, and Cilan is just a gym leader. Ash rotated his team, with many of his Pokémon evolving, most notably Garchomp and Typhlosion. He also caught different Pokémon than he did in the anime, although some of them are the same. Same goes for Brock and Dawn. Brock still wants to be a breeder, and Dawn competed in the contests there. If you have any confusion, PM me, and hopefully I can clear it up. Also, think of the Pokenav as a smartphone. And Pokegear as a tablet with a call function.**

I also added in a commentator to refresh your memory on what it was like. The neutral option is still in the lead, and you have until the six v six matches start, which is in quite a while. Another question. Do you want those to be all in one chapter, or broken into halves? Let me know in a review or PM.

If you're wondering why I added the scene where Ash sees Jake, it's because I never really described what he looked like. I did in the dream, but that wasn't 100% accurate, since it was a dream. The interview was just filler, since I didn't want to do a time skip.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope y'all are enjoying your winter break. As always, read and review everyone!


	25. Chapter 24

**Silver and Gold Angels: thanks for the review. I've taken all of your suggestions that you gave me, and I've changed my writing style accordingly. I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your criticism. I hope that the changes will live up to your standards.**

**PS Lil Wayne called. He wants his lyrics back.**

**Enjoy chapter 24 everyone!**

* * *

Brock and Dawn were sitting at a table in the Epic Scyther. They had to keep telling the waitress every few minutes that they were still waiting on a third person, and Brock finally had to call Ash to see what was taking him so long. Upon learning that Ash had gotten distracted, he sighed.

"What did Ash say?" Dawn asked.

"He said that he got distracted, and that he's on his way now." Brock replied.

"He wasn't training, was he?"

"He said he wasn't, but then again, this _is_ Ash we're talking about, so who knows."

"Excuse me, but we're getting pretty busy. If you don't order in the next five minutes, I'm going to have to ask you to leave so we can seat someone else," said a voice.

Brock and Dawn turned around to find the waitress standing there.

"Sorry, he should be here any minute now." Brock said.

"You better hope so," the waitress replied as she walked away.

"Where is he?" Dawn asked.

* * *

Ash was running in a full sprint. In one hand, he held the magazine he was reading, and in the other, he was holding the flowers he got Dawn. Pikachu was holding onto his shoulder for dear life.

"There it is, up ahead!" Ash said as he continued to sprint.

_Man, all those races I've had with May over the years really paid off. I sure wish I could see her again..._

Ash was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he ran directly into a wall. He fell back, landing on his ass. He dropped both the magazine and flowers upon the crash. Pikachu was fortunate enough to abandon ship before the impact, and came running up to him to make sure that he was okay.

"Pika pikapi?"

"I'm fine Pikachu, I just need to walk it off and I'll be fine. Come on, let's go inside. Brock and Dawn have been waiting for us." Ash said as he picked up the two objects. _Thank Arceus these didn't get ruined._

Ash brushed himself off, and walked inside. He immediately spotted Brock and Dawn, and decided to stash the flowers in his bag so he could surprise her. He then headed over to their table, making sure to hide his intentions from Dawn.

"Hey guys," Ash said.

"Hey Ash!" Dawn replied.

"What took you so long?" Brock asked.

Ash took a seat at the table next to Dawn, and Pikachu hopped off his shoulder to sit on the table.

"I was reading this," Ash said. He held out his hand, showing the other two the magazine.

"Lemme see that!" Dawn said as she snatched it away from Ash. She turned to the table of contents, and after reading through it, she stared to flip through the pages.

"Aha!" She said, stopping on a particular page. "Here, look at this!" Dawn held out the magazine for the other two to see.

"Hey, it's May!" Brock said.

"Yeah, but why's she in this magazine?" Ash asked.

Dawn face palmed. "Because, she won the Hoenn Grand Festival last year! It's an article about how she took this year off!"

"What did she do for a year?" Brock asked.

"She went to the Orange Islands." Dawn replied.

"Hey Brock, remember the Orange Islands? That's where I met Tracey. Me, Tracey, and Misty travelled through them, and I competed against the Orange Crew. You were staying with some professor, right. What was her name... wait I got it!"

Brock immediately started to cringe up.

"It was Professor Ivy!"

"That name! Don't mention that name!" Brock said as he pulled himself into a corner and started rocking back and forth on his ass.

"What's up with him?" Dawn asked.

Ash started to scratch the back of his head nervously. "Uhh, you see... whenever someone mentions Professor Ivy—"

"That name! Don't mention that name!" Brock cried.

"Anyways, whenever someone mentions, uhh, _her_, Brock starts acting like _that_."

"What happened between them?"

"Nobody knows."

"Are you all ready to order?" said a waitress. She then noticed Brock in the corner. "Is he alright?"

"He'll be fine. Just give him a minute and he'll be back to normal in no time." Ash said.

The waitress sweatdropped. "If you say so. Are you ready to take your orders?"

"Yes, we're ready." Brock said, seemingly out of nowhere.

"I see you're okay now," the waitress said nervously.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because, oh never mind. What will you be having?"

"I'll take a large cheeseburger!" Ash said.

"I'll just have the pulled Tepig sandwich." Dawn said.

"I'll just have a cheeseburger." Said Brock.

"Certainly. It'll be ready in a few minutes." The waitress then walked away.

"So Ash, where were you this morning?" Brock asked.

"I was just at the mall." He replied.

"The mall? For what?" Dawn asked.

_Guess there's no point in waiting_ Ash said mentally. He opened his bag and pulled out the flowers. "I got these for you Dawn, since you've always been there for me, especially during this tournament. I know this has been cutting out of your contest circuit, so think of these as a way of me saying thanks for being there for me." Ash said as he held out the roses to Dawn.

This gesture caused Dawn to blush furiously. She was practically speechless.

_Is this really the Ash I know? _she asked herself. She turned to Brock, who was as shocked as she was. She gave him a look, and he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Uh, Dawn, are you gonna say something?" Ash asked as he waved a hand in front of her face.

"Th-thanks Ash." Dawn stuttered. She took the flowers from him and smelled them. "They smell nice!" She said.

"You're welcome Dawn." Ash replied, clueless as to what was going on.

Dawn then took him by surprise. She enveloped him in a tight hug. "Seriously, thank you," she said with a blush.

"No problem." Ash said cluelessly.

"Aww, you two are a cute couple." A voice said. When the duo turned around, they found the waitress there with their food.

"We're just friends." Ash said.

_Really, after all this, we're just friends? Damnit you're dense! You probably don't even realize that this was a romantic gesture either! Way to ruin the moment!_

"Suure you're not. That's why you gave your girlfriend flowers."

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"You don't give flowers to just _anybody_, you give them to someone you like."

"What?"

_Wow, this kid is dense_. "Never mind, you'll find out soon enough. Enjoy your meal." The waitress said.

_So close_ Brock said mentally. "Enjoy guys, this one's on me," he said.

* * *

"So Ash, what are you planning on doing for the rest of the day?" Dawn asked.

The trio had just finished lunch, and after Brock paid, they left and started walking around.

"I kinda want to get some training done. The secondary qualifiers start in a few days, and I want to be prepared for that." Ash replied.

"Speaking of which, how exactly does that work? I remember a few days ago Gary tried to explain everything to me, but honestly, I think he was just trying to sound smart. None of it made any sense." Dawn said.

"Long story short, there's a second round of qualifiers to further narrow down the amount of competitors. This round will narrow it down to the final 512 trainers. After that, it's just like a league tournament. Single elimination, keep winning to advance. Lose, and you're out." Brock explained.

"Thanks, that makes much more sense than what Gary said."

"What did I say?" Asked a familiar voice.

Dawn turned around to find Gary. "Your explanation of the tournament. It made no sense."

"Hey Gary, I heard you made it to Driftveil." Ash said.

"Of course. Otherwise, who else would knock you out of the tournament, Ashy-boy?"

"Arceus, you know I hate that name."

"Which is why I call you it."

"How about a battle? We have a few days off, and my Pokémon need the exercise."

"Sure. Three on three. Meet me at the Pokémon Center in half an hour. I need to exchange a few Pokémon. Until then, Ashy boy!" Gary said as he walked off.

"See ya then! And you're going down!" Ash called after him.

"Not on my watch!"

"Come on guys, need to exchange a few of my Pokémon. I know exactly who I'm gonna use." Ash said.

"Who?"

"Wait and see."

* * *

"Thanks Tracey, tell Professor Oak I said hi." Ash said.

"No problem, and I will. See you later! And good luck in your battle against Gary!"

"Thanks, and I'll talk to you later." Ash said before he hung up.

Ash then walked out of the Pokémon Center to meet up with the other two. Once he walked out of the door, Gary walked past him inside.

"Don't keep me waiting," Ash said.

"Don't worry, I won't. Ashy Boy." Gary said with a smirk.

This comment caused Ash to heat up. "Stop calling me that!"

"No! Now leave so I can exchange my Pokémon."

Ash simply headed over to the rest of the group.

Once Dawn saw Ash emerge from the Pokémon Center, she immediately ran up to him.

"So, are you ready to kick Gary's ass?" She asked.

"Hell yeah. I've beaten him before in the Silver Conference, so this should be a walk in the park.

"Don't get too overconfident," Brock said as he joined the duo.

"Don't worry Brock, I got this." Ash said confidently.

Brock sighed. "Gary has already agreed to let me referee. You're okay with that, right?" He said, changing the subject.

"Of course, now we just have to wait for Gary."

A few minutes later, Gary walked out. "Are you ready for this, Ashy Boy?" He asked in a taunting manner.

"I'm gonna beat you, just for that!" Ash shot back.

The group headed over to one of the practice fields by the center. Ash took one side, and Gary the other. Brock headed over to the middle off to the side, and pulled out two flags seemingly from nowhere.

"This will be a three on three match between Ask Ketchum of Pallet Town, and Gary Oak of Pallet Town. Each trainer will use three Pokémon, and substitutions will not be permitted. Are both trainers ready?" He asked.

"Yes," Gary and Ash said together.

"Then release your Pokémon."

"Scizor, let's go!" Gary shouted as he threw a Pokeball.

The Pincer Pokémon materialized in a flash of light and struck a battle ready stance.

"Samurott, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he threw his Pokeball.

The formidable Pokémon materialized in a flash of light, and he roared at his opponent.

"Samurott versus Scizor, begin!" Brock shouted as he raised his flags.

"Samurott, use Aqua Jet!" Ash commanded.

"Dodge with Agility, then use Metal Claw!"

Samurott covered his body with water, then shot towards Scizor, who sped away in a streak of light. Samurott sped after Scizor, who quickly did a one eighty and swung at his pursuer with a glowing claw. The attack struck Samurott square in the nose, causing him to stop the Aqua Jet.

"Don't give in!" Ash encouraged. "Use Razor Shell!"

In a flash, Samurott withdrew the two scalchops on his front legs, and started ruthlessly attacking Scizor. The pincer Pokémon was having trouble keeping the larger Pokémon at bay, and was waiting for a command from his trainer.

"Use Bug Buzz! Follow with Bullet Punch!" Gary shouted.

Scizor rapidly flapped his wings, causing a high pitched noise that made Samurott stop his attack and cover his ears. Scizor quickly followed up with a punch as fast as a bullet, causing the water type to fly back.

"Finish with Giga Impact!"

Scizor charged towards Samurott covered in a pink energy surrounded by orange streaks and slammed into the struggling water type, causing a cloud of dust to kick up. When it cleared, Samurott was on the ground swirly eyed, while Scizor simply stood in place.

"Samurott is unable to battle, Scizor is the winner!" Brock declared as he raised the flag on Gary's side of the field.

"Great job Samurott, take a nice long rest." Ash said as he recalled his fallen water type. He clipped the ball to his belt, and grabbed another one. "Heracross, I choose you!" He threw the Pokeball, and the Single Horn Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.

"Heracross versus Scizor, begin!" Brock shouted, throwing up both of his arms.

"Heracross, Brick Break while he's still immobilized!" Ash shouted.

Heracross flew over to Scizor, smiled, then brought down his glowing horn onto his face. Scizor fell to his knees, then face planted into the ground.

Brock quickly made his call. "Scizor is unable to battle, Heracross is the winner!" He threw up the flag on Ash's side of the field, signaling his victory.

"Great job Scizor, take a rest." Gary said as he recalled his Pokémon. He put the Pokeball away, and quickly replaced it with another. "Electivire, let's go!" He threw the Pokeball and the Thunderbolt Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.

"Electivire versus Heracross, begin!" Brock shouted.

"Heracross, use Megahorn!" Ash shouted.

"Intercept with Fire Punch!" Gary countered.

Heracross flew over to where Electivire was, his horn glowing yellow. He then picked up speed and was about to slam into the electric type, when he was stopped by a fiery fist. The two ensued in a power struggle, neither giving in.

"Hang in there Heracross! Push him back!"

"You forgot one thing Ash!"

"What's that?"

"Electivire has _two_ arms. Electivire, use Fire Punch with your other arm!"

Electivire covered his other fist in flames, then smashed it into the side of Heracross's head. The bug type flew back, landing in a heap. Just as Brock was about to make the call, Heracross stood back up, albeit with trouble.

"Alright!" Ash shouted. "Use Close Combat!"

"Fight it off with Fire Punch!" Gary countered.

Heracross once again flew over to Electivire. This time, he started to rapidly strike the electric type with punches and strikes of the horn. Electivire covered his fists with fire, and started to strike back, causing major damage. The two began fighting as if in a sparring match, neither letting the other gain an advantage.

"Low Kick! Then follow with Thunder!" Gary yelled.

Electivire swung his foot in a sweeping motion, tripping Heracross. Befo he could fully recover, a huge blast of electricity was expelled on him, knocking him out.

"Heracross is unable to battle, Electivire is the winner!" Brock declared, throwing up the flag on Gary's side of the field.

"Heracross, return. You were exceptional out there, take a rest." Ash quickly replaced Heracross's Pokeball with another. "I know it's been awhile, but I believe in you! Go Bulbasaur!" Ash threw his third and final Pokeball, revealing the fourth Pokémon Ash had ever caught.

"Bulbasaur versus Electivire, begin!" Brock said, a bit of nostalgia present in his voice.

"Bulbasaur, let's start out with Sleep Powder!"

Bulbasaur released a blue cloud of dust from his bulb, quickly covering Electivire. Electivire soon fell asleep.

"First use Sunny Day! Then Leech Seed followed by Giga Drain!"

"Electivire, wake up!" Gary shouted desperately.

Bulbasaur shot a small yellow orb into the sky, causing the sunlight to intensify. He then released a seed from the bulb on his back, and shot it at the sleeping Thunderbolt Pokémon. It sprouted vines upon contact, and started draining his energy. Soon after, Bulbasaur sent green tendrils at Electivire, and they also started draining his energy. After a few seconds, his eyes turned into swirls.

"Electivire is unable to battle, Bulbasaur is the winner!" Brock said, throwing up the flag on Ash's side of the field.

"Electivire, return. Great job." Gary said. He then turned to Ash as he pulled out his final Pokeball. I have no plans on losing to you. Go Umbreon!"

Gary threw the Pokeball, and the Moonlight Pokémon appeared.

"Bulbasaur versus Umbreon, begin!"

"Bulbasaur, start with Vine Whip! Grab ahold of him!" Ash commanded.

"Wait for it, the throw! Follow with Take Down!" Gary shouted.

Bulbasaur extended two vines and sent them at Umbreon, who simply stood there. Once they got ahold, Umbreon sprang into action and did a flip, causing Bulbasaur to be thrown into the air. Before he even landed, Umbreon was already using Take Down, and smashed into the small grass and poison type seconds after he landed.

_Damn, Bulbasaur is really taking a beating! Hopefully this works_ "Bulbasaur, use Solar Beam!"

"Counter with Hyper Beam Umbreon!"

_Perfect_

Bulbasaur took in sunlight, and a second later, unleashed it thanks to the bright sun. The beam was met by an orange blast from Umbreon, and an explosion occurred. Both Pokémon took damage from the attacks, but neither one was out yet.

"Bulbasaur, use Leech Seed, followed by Sleep Powder while Umbreon is still immobilized!"

"Dodge it as soon as you can move again!"

Bulbasaur fired a seed from his bulb, which quickly latched onto the immobilized dark type. It began draining his energy, transferring it over to Bulbasaur. Just as he was about to release his Sleep Powder, Umbreon became mobile again, and easily avoided the attack.

"Use Psychic."

Umbreon's eyes glowed blue, and Bulbasaur soon became surrounded by an energy of the same color. He was then lifted into the air, helpless to attack.

"Throw him into the ground. Then finish with Dark Pulse!"

Umbreon threw Bulbasaur into the ground, causing him to cry out in pain. Before the grass type could move, a beam of purple rings was shot at him, knocking him out cold.

"Bulbasaur is unable to battle, Umbreon is the winner! Gary Oak wins the match!" Brock shouted, raising up the flag on Gary's side.

"Bulbasaur, return. You were wonderful out there. Take a nice rest." Ash then turned to Gary, who was busy recalling his Pokémon. "Great match Gary, although I would've won if it was a full six on six!"

"In your dreams. I gotta go, Gramps wanted to talk to me about something after this battle, so I'll see you later. _Ashy Boy_," Gary said, placing emphasis on his nickname for Ash.

"See ya." Ash then headed into the Pokémon Center to get his Pokémon healed.

* * *

The rest of the day went by without much happening. After Ash's Pokémon were healed, the trio decided to walk around in the mall to kill time. Before they knew it, it was time to eat dinner. They had a quick bite to eat at a restaurant, and headed back to the hotel room. Dawn put the flowers Ash gave her in a cup filled with water, and everyone got ready for bed. Tomorrow was a packing day, and the group had to be on the ferry no later than six o'clock.

* * *

Ash was laying in bed, unable to fall asleep. He looked over at the clock, which read 12:00 AM. _How am I gonna last in this tournament, if I can't even beat Gary? With trainers like Jake Smith out there, I stand no chance._ Ash continued laying there. _No, I can win this, I WILL win this. I've won the Sinnoh League. I've beaten Paul. I've beaten Gary before, so this should be easy. Just a few wins in the secondary qualifiers, and I get into my specialty._

Feeling confident once again, Ash soon fell asleep.

* * *

**So there it is, chapter 24. Hope you enjoyed it. A few time skips, but that's simply because I didn't want to drag it out longer than it needed to be. Bulbasaur is still un evolved because in the anime, he pretty much made it clear that he never would. Ever. Also, I tried a bit of a different approach with the battle this time, so feel free to let me know what you think.**

**I just want to thank you all for the support, without it, I probably would have given up on this story long ago. Don't forget the poll, you still have time to change the outcome. Every vote counts.**

**Have a happy New Year, and enjoy your last few remaining days of winter break. Mine ends Thursday, which makes no sense (why bother going back for two days?)**

**As always, read and review everyone!**


	26. Chapter 25

**Thank you all for the support you've shown me this past year. 11,000+ views is A LOT, and I want to thank each and every one of my readers. You all coming back to read this story is the reason why I continue writing.**

**Now with that out of the way, I hope you have a Happy New Year's. I hope you all have good New Year's Resolutions. Mine is to finish this story.**

**Enjoy chapter 25 everyone!**

* * *

Ash woke up, and immediately noticed a warm sensation on his side. When he turned his head, there was Dawn, all cuddled up to him, just like she had been during the past week. He immediately felt his insides heat up.

_There it is again, that feeling in my chest. I __**really**__ wish I knew what it was._

Ash then tried to get up, but to no avail, causing him to sigh. He looked over at the clock, and noticed that it was almost ten.

_Hopefully she gets up soon._

Brock was already up, and had already eaten breakfast. He had just gotten into the room, and noticed that Ash was up.

"Hey Ash, you just get up?" He asked.

"Yeah, now can you do something about my, uh, situation? Please?"

"Sorry no can do. You know Dawn. She doesn't get up unless she wants to. You'll have to wait until she gets up on her own."

"Wasn't that May who never got up?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that you've been mentioning her a lot lately." Brock said. "Why is that?"

"I don't know. I guess I just miss her. It's been over a year since I last saw her, and I guess I just want to see her again." Ash replied.

"Hopefully Max is in the tournament, then if he gets to Driftveil, we can all be reunited."

"Max is in the tournament. I checked a few days ago. Whether or not he moved on is a different story."

All of this talking had awakened Dawn. She groggily opened her eyes, and immediately started blushing when she realized what she was doing. She quickly withdrew her head and arm from Ash's side.

The sudden feeling, or lack of feeling rather, caused Ash to turn his head to the side.  
"Sorry," Dawn said. She was still blushing heavily, and was trying to hide it by burying her face in her arms.

"Like I said before, I don't mind. Unfortunately, that was the last night we'll be sleeping in the same bed, as I'm sure the cabin on the ferry will have two beds." Ash said.

Brock, noticing Dawn blushing, decided to test a theory of his.

"Dawn, you're blushing. Mind telling us why?" He asked with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Uhh, no reason! No reason at all! I'm fine, no need to worry!" She said nervously.

"Dawn, I know when you're lying. I'm your friend, you can tell me anything," Ash cut in.

"I-I'm not lying! Really!"

"Really, then why are you shaking, and why does it look like your hands are starting to sweat?" Brock asked.

"I-I uhh," Dawn was visibly shaking now. _Why is Brock doing this?_ she asked herself. Then realization hit her. _Arceus I'm stupid. He's trying to help me out. Now I just need to figure out what to say..._

Brock noticed Dawn go quiet. _I think she's caught on, now to see what she says._

Dawn, figuring out what to say, spoke like she was before so she didn't give anything away. "I, uh, guess it's because I uh, like being in close proximity to you Ash." She said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash asked cluelessly.

That comment made Brock want to slap him. _Really, you're that dense? How long is it gonna take you to outgrow it?_

Dawn had the same reaction. _Why is he so damn dense?_

"Oh, uh, never mind. Come on, let's go eat breakfast so we can get a head start on packing or something." Dawn said, changing the subject.

"I'm up for it," Ash said.

"I already ate, so I'll let you two go down there by yourselves. Besides, I have a few things to do, and they will be much easier with you two gone." Brock said.

"What things? Flirting with girls and getting rejected like always?" Dawn asked with a smile.

"For your information, if Croagunk, I mean Toxicroak, stopped Poison Jabbing me, they would've said yes!"

"Uh huh, sure. Like _that's_ the problem." Dawn said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're too forward. Girls get creeped out by that. Next time, try and take a more subtle approach."

"Where's the fun in that?"

"The fun is in getting a date." Dawn then turned to Ash, who was simply sitting there, petting Pikachu. He had a confused look on his face as if he didn't know what was going on. Upon seeing him like this, Dawn sighed.

"Let's go eat, I'm hungry."

"I'm with you on that one." Ash replied.

"We'll see you later Brock, we're gonna go eat." Dawn said.

"Alright, see you later." He replied.

* * *

After they ate, they went back to the room, got ready for the day, then headed out to the mall to kill time.

Dawn and Ash were walking around the Vermilion Mall. They were simply killing time until they needed to get back to the room to pack their things.

The two were walking in silence, not heading in any particular direction. Ash, not liking the silence, decided to break it by bringing up events from earlier that day.  
"So what was that all about back in the room?" Ash asked.

"Which part?"

"The part where you said that Brock is too forward. What does that mean?"

Dawn was trying her best to figure out a way to explain it to the dense boy. "It means that professing his undying love to any girl he sees creeps them out." Dawn explained.

"That makes sense. I mean, if what he's been doing for the past seven years isn't working, then why not change things up? Like you said, a more subtle approach would probably work."

"Wait, what did you just say?" Dawn asked with a bewildered tone.

"I said that a more subtle approach would work, just like you said.

_Am I going crazy? Just this morning, he was acting like the densest person on the planet! Now he's talking about love, and he's not clueless! Jeez. Why is he so hard to figure out?_

"Uh, Dawn, you zoned out on me." Ash said. After no response, he went up to her ear, cupped his hand, and shouted, "DAWN!"

The sudden noise in her ear immediately caused her to jump back.

"What!?" She demanded.

"You zoned out on me. What were you thinking about?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. Tell you what. Let's leave here and have a practice battle. I need to take my mind off a few things."

"Sounds good. Let's go."

* * *

"So, who are you gonna use?" Ash asked.

The two were standing on one of the practice fields near the Pokémon Center, and were about to begin their battle.

Dawn thought for a second, before pulling out a Pokeball. "Mamoswine, spotlight!" She shouted as she threw her Pokeball. The Twin Tusk Pokémon emerged in a shower of snowflakes, thanks to the seal on his Pokeball.

"Good choice. Luckily yesterday I brought this guy back from the lab. Boldore, I choose you!"

He threw a Pokeball, and the Ore Pokémon appeared.

"Alright, how are we gonna do this?" Dawn asked.

Ash sweatdropped. "Uhh, I thought you knew." He said hesitantly.

"Oh never mind. Let's just use that timer over there and set ten minutes. Sound good?"

"Yes." Ash walked over and set the timer to ten minutes. "Battle's over when one Pokémon is knocked out, or when time is up. Whichever comes first. I'll let you have the first move."

"Alright Mamoswine, let's start out with Ice Armor!"

"Boldore knock it off with Rock Blast!"

Mamoswine created an Ice Shard, and rather than firing it, he swallowed it. Immediately, ice crystals on his back formed, giving off the impression of armor made of ice. Boldore's appendage on the middle of his face glowed white, and he fired several rocks in Mamoswine's direction. They collided with the ice, breaking off pieces of it.

"Mamoswine, use Earthquake!"

Ash knew Boldore was too heavy to dodge, so instead he made a gamble. "Use your own Earthquake!"

Mamoswine reared up on his hind legs, and then slammmed down, causing a massive tremor. Boldore did the same, and the two attacks cancelled each other out.

Ash let out a sigh of relief.

Dawn was stunned. _Surely Mamoswine is more powerful than Boldore?_

Ash, seeing Dawn distracted, decided to press his advantage. "Flash Cannon!"

The appendage on Boldore's head glowed once again, and a silver beam of light emerged. It struck Mamoswine head on, dealing a good amount of damage.  
Upon hearing Mamoswine roar in anger, Dawn snapped out of her trance.

"Ash Ketchum, you will pay for that!" She shouted angrily.

_Uh oh_ Ash thought nervously. _I'm not gonna like this..._

"Mamoswine, use Icicle Crash, followed by Take Down!" Dawn shouted angrily.

"Iron Defense to defend against the icicles! Then use Rock Blast!" Ash commanded with a hint of nervousness.

Mamoswine created a ball of energy between his tusks, then shot it into the air. Once it got above Boldore, icicles started falling down on his body, which was glowing silver. The icicles broke on contact, making Boldore flinch. Mamoswine then charged towards towards the flinching rock type, shaking the ground along the way. He slammed into Boldore, causing him to fly up into the air.

"Fire your Rock Blast from above!"

Boldore recovered, and angled his body towards Mamoswine. The appendage on his face glowed white, and he started shooting rock from it, striking the ice type on the top of his head. Mamoswine roared in anger.

Hearing Mamoswine roar like that brought back bad memories for Dawn. She remembered how Mamoswine's anger had caused her to lose a contest back in Sinnoh. Her fears soon came true when she felt the ground shake from an Earthquake, courtesy of the pissed off Ice type. Boldore was still in the air, so he took no damage from the attack.

"Mamoswine, calm down!" Dawn shouted, hoping that her words would get through.

_Shit. The only way for Mamoswine to calm down is if he's recalled into his Pokeball, or knocked out_ "Dawn, this battle is over! Call Mamoswine back!" Ash yelled.

Mamoswine was now charging towards Ash in a Take Down, and showed no signs of slowing down.

"Mamoswine, return!" Dawn held out the Pokeball, and pressed the button. A red beam shot out towards the charging ice type, but he dodged out of the way. This action was repeated every time Dawn tried.

"Ash, look out!" She yelled.

Just as Ash was about to be trampled, Boldore dropped to the ground and took the full force of the attack. As he was being pushed back, he dug all three of his legs into the ground, skidding to a halt. Mamoswine decided to keep on ramming him, and the best Boldore could do was use an Iron Defense to lower the damage.

"Boldore, do you trust me?" Ash asked. His question was answered by a cry of "BOLDORE!" Ash then cupped his hands over his mouth and yelled, "Dawn get back!"

Dawn complied, although she was confused as to what Ash had planned.

"Alright, Boldore, Explosion!" Ash yelled.

Boldore complied, as his body became enveloped in a white glow. Then a massive explosion followed afterwards, kicking up dust, debris, and smoke. Mamoswine flew back and slammed into a tree trunk in the distance, unconscious. Ash also flew back, landing several feet away. Dawn was outside of the blast radius, and had her eyes covered and back turned after Ash called for the attack. She slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was her unconscious Pokémon. She ran over to her fallen Pokémon and quickly recalled him. She walked back to the battlefield, when she remembered something. "ASH!" She yelled.

"Over here!" Ash called back.

Through the smoke, Dawn could see the body of a boy laying on the geound several feet away from where he was a few minutes earlier during the battle. She immediately ran over to where he was. Once she was there, she knelt down to face him.

"Ash Ketchum, NEVER do that again!" She scolded.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." Ash said weakly.

"No you're not. You just got hit by an Explosion attack point blank, and you're all covered in scrapes. You could have died!"

"Dawn. I've faced countless legendary Pokémon, have been scorched by Charizard's Flamethrower whenever he greets me, and have been shocked by Pikachu's Thunderbolt countless times. This was nothing."

"Speaking of Pikachu, where is he?" Dawn asked.

"We left him with Brock back in the room since he was still sleeping, remember?"

"No, not really. Just promise me you won't do something stupid like that again."

"Sorry, no can do. Besides, Boldore did exactly what I wanted him to do. He stopped Mamoswine, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on, we need to head back into the room so we can pack. Plus you can clean yourself up a bit."

"Alright." With Dawn's help, Ash got up. The first thing he did was run over to where Boldore was. Boldore was on the ground, knocked out cold. When he heard the noise, he started to stir.

"Hey bud." Ash said. "Thanks for trusting me. I'm gonna take you inside to the Pokémon Center so you can get healed, so take a rest." Ash took out a Pokeball and recalled his rock type. Then he and Dawn headed inside the Pokémon center, which was only a few feet away.

* * *

After leaving Boldore and Mamoswine with Nurse Joy, Ash and Dawn had gone back to their hotel room. They got inside, and Ash was immediately tackled to the ground by Pikachu.

"Pikapi!" He said excitedly.

"Hey bud, sorry for leaving you, but you were still sleeping. Where's Brock?" Ash asked.

"Right here. Now care to tell me why you look like you were just in the middle of an explosion?" Brock asked.

Ash started scratching the back of his head nervously. "Uhh, funny story actually. I uh—"

"Me and Ash were having a practice battle, when Mamoswine got out of control. Ash told Boldore to use Explosion, and he was standing too close to the blast radius." Dawn cut in.

Brock was seemingly satisfied by the answer. "At least you didn't get hurt. Now come on, you have to pack your stuff. After you get cleaned up."

"Okay." Ash was about to head into the shower, when his Pokenav rang. He looked at the caller ID, and his eyes widened. It was May.

"Hello?" He said.

"Hey Ash, long time no speak." May said.

"May! It's nice to talk to you again. It's been way too long! Listen, I'm packing for Driftveil right now. Can you call me back in ten minutes? I'd like to see you over video phone." Ash said. He was ecstatic that May was calling, and wanted to see her face to face.

"Yeah, sure. It would be great to see you again." May said.

Ash then hung up, and immediately bolted out the door to the Pokémon Center.  
"Should we follow him?" Dawn asked.

"Nah, let him have his moment. Besides, _someone_ has to pack his things." Brock said.

Dawn simply sighed.

* * *

Ash had just gotten to the Pokémon Center, greeted Nurse Joy, then headed over to the video phones. He regained his composure, and waited for May to call him. A minute later, the phone rang. He took a deep breath, then answered it.

"Hey May." He said.

* * *

**There it is, chapter 25, hope you enjoyed it. It's a bit shorter, and a few time skips, but that's because I wanted to move the plot along, rather than dwindle on senseless filler. Next chapter goes to Jake and May, so stay tuned for that.**

**I just got a new 3DS for Christmas, so I need friend codes! If you want to battle, trade, or simply want it for the Friend Safari, add mine and PM me yours. I'll add anyone, but if you have an Excadrill safari, that's a plus. I am currently breeding my team, and I don't know when I'll be finished, so I may decline any competitive battles (I'll accept casual battles though). I'll let you all know when I'm done, but that won't be for a while.**  
**3DS FC: 2423-3705-7798.**  
**IGN (in game name): Jake**  
**PM me yours after you add mine. I WILL NOT add it if you leave it in a review, only over PM. Also include if you want to battle, trade, both or want it for the Friend Safari.**

**Have a Happy New Year's, and enjoy the rest of your winter break if you're still in school. Once again, I want to thank each and every one of you who read this story. Like I said before, if you all weren't reading this, then I would have stopped writing this long ago.**

**As always, read and review everyone!**


	27. Chapter 26

**This is my longest chapter yet, and also breaks the 100,000 wordcount milestone. Enjoy.**

**Summary: Jake qualified for Driftveil, and on his two days off realized that he was in love with May, who felt the same. Blazer taught May's Blaziken Close Combat. May felt guilty about keeping out of contact with Ash, and decided to call him.**

* * *

"Hey May." Ash said.

Upon seeing Ash, May felt overjoyed.

Jake stood in the background, allowing May to talk with her longtime friend. He would enter the conversation when he was invited.

However, May soon noticed the state Ash was in, and naturally asked what happened. "What happened? I haven't seen you in a while, and you look like you've been in an explosion! Did Team Rocket try to take Pikachu again?" She asked with a concerned tone.

Ash started scratching the back of his head nervously. "Actually, no. I haven't seen Team Rocket since before the Unova League. Maybe they've given up? I don't know. Anyways, long story short, Dawn's Mamoswine got out of control, and my Boldore saved me using his Explosion attack. I was just a little close. With that out of the way, how about a proper introduction? A fresh start?"

"Sure." May heaved a sigh of relief. She knew that many of the things that he had gotten into we're much worse than this, so she let it slide. "Hey Ash, how's it going?"  
"I'm good. I'm in the Tournament. Like I said, I made it to Driftveil. You caught me while I was about to start packing, but as soon as I saw you call, I ran here as fast as I could so I could see you face to face." Ash said.

_Typical Ash, always in a hurry_ "Driftveil, huh? I'm going there too! We could meet up there!" May squealed in excitement.

"Yeah, I'd love to. Since you're going to Driftveil, I'm assuming Max made it?"

"Actually, no—" May started.

"Then why are you going?" Ash asked impatiently.

"Because my boyfriend invited me. He's in the tournament, and he moved on." May then turned to the side to look at Jake, who was simply standing there, talking to Eevee. "Hey Jake, come meet Ash." She said.

Jake walked over to the phone. "Hey Ash, I'm Jake, May's boyfriend."

Upon seeing Jake's face, Ash's eyes lit up. "You're Jake Smith!"

"Yep."

"This year's Hoenn champ!"

"Yeah, honestly though, it's not that big of a deal. Besides, I've heard that you won the Sinnoh league a while back."

"Yeah, speaking of winning, May I've heard that you won the Hoenn Grand Festival?"

"Yeah. Last year."

"Congrats!"

"Thanks. Congrats on winning the Sinnoh League. Did you challenge the Elite Four?"

"Yeah, I was beaten by Bertha in my second battle though."

"Hey, you made it farther than me. I was beaten by Sidney in my first battle from the first time I beat the Hoenn League." Jake said.

"What about this time? Are you going to challenge them again?" Ash asked.

"Yeah. After the Tournament, I'm going to Sinnoh with May while she competes in contests there. I'm planning on training there. Then after her contest circuit, I'm gonna challenge them."

"Cool. So May, think you can win another Grand Festival?" Ash asked.

"I don't know, but as long as I have Jake's support, I know I'll do well." She said.

The two continued to catch up, and Jake headed outside to let the two talk in peace.

"Alright Eevee, May isn't gonna be done talking anytime soon, so what do you wanna do?"

"Vui! Eevee eev!"

"You're right. Even though May said she got this hat for me because I've been so nice to her, I should still get her something too. But what?"

"Eevee. Eevee!"

You know, that's not such a bad idea. Good thing I keep you around." Jake said.

Eevee gave Jake a playful slap to the face.

"Alright, let's go, but first I want to exchange a few Pokémon." Jake headed back inside and went over to the video phones.

Ash and May were still talking, with May recalling her adventures throughout the Orange Islands. May noticed Jake, and stopped talking.

"I was wondering where you went, why did you leave?" She asked.

"I wanted to let you catch up with Ash. I'm gonna call Professor Birch and exchange a few Pokémon, then head out. I'll meet back up with you later." Jake replied as he picked up one of the adjacent phones.

"Okay." May turned back around and picked back up where she left off with Ash.

A few minutes later, and Jake had his team ready.

* * *

Jake was back at the mall, looking for an accessories store. It wasn't long before he came across Capz, which was one of the more popular stores that focused on headwear. He walked inside and started looking around.

"Can I help you with something?" One of the guys who worked there asked.

"Yeah, do you have any bandanas?"

"Bandanas, I think there might be a few in the back left. Let me know if you find them."

"Alright, thanks."

Jake headed over to where the worker told him to go, and found a small section of bandanas. He started picking through them, and was having a hard time finding what exactly he was looking for.

"I doubt she would want a yellow one. Same goes for orange and purple. She already has a green one, and she doesn't wear red anymore. What color should I get her?"

"Eevee! Vui."

"No, brown would _not_ work. That would just look stupid. And I know she doesn't go goth, so black is out too. Maybe white?" Jake continued picking through them, until he came to a blue one. He picked it up, and noticed that it was almost exactly the same as the one May wore now. It had the same white Pokeball symbol on it, and the only difference was the color, as it was blue.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Vui!"

"Thought so." Jake then headed over to the check out. "I'd like to buy this please," he said.

"Ah, I see that you found what you were looking for." The clerk said as he rang the item up. "You don't seem like the type of person to wear a bandana."

"No, not really."

"The dead giveaway was your hat. Anyways, I'm assuming this is a gift?"

"Yeah, it's for my girlfriend. She bought me this hat, so I decided to return the favor and get her a new bandana since she likes to wear them."

"I see. $7.95."

Jake handed over the money and thanked the man. He was given a small bag to put the bandana in and was about to walk out, when the man stopped him.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're Jake Smith, right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I saw that last battle of yours in the Hoenn League on TV. That was a great battle, and I'll be rooting for you in Driftveil, I heard you made it through."

"Yeah, I'm getting on the ferry tonight. It gets there in a few days."

"Alright, I'll be watching your matches on TV if I get a chance. Good luck in your battles."

"Thanks." Jake said. He then proceeded to walk out the door back into the main section of the mall.

"I'm hungry, and it's nowhere near dinner time yet. What do you wanna get? A pretzel or ice cream?"

"Vui!"

"Pretzel it is then."

After a few minutes of walking, the two came across the food court. It was very crowded, and tables were filling up fast. Jake went up to an empty table near a fountain, and took Eevee off his shoulder.

"Stay here while I go get us some food. Don't go anywhere, and holler if you get into any trouble, although I'm sure that won't be a problem. I need you to save this table for us."

"Vui." Eevee said. He was then placed down on the table by Jake, and his friend headed off to get some food.

Jake came across a pretzel shop, and got in line.

_Hmm. Cinnamon or salted? I want cinnamon, but I know Eevee isn't too fond of it. Maybe I should get one of each?_

"Next!" The woman behind the counter said.

As Jake was next in line, he walked up to her. "One cinnamon pretzel and one salted pretzel please."

"Coming right up."

The lady called out the order, and a few seconds later a teenage boy came up with two pretzels, one covered in cinnamon, and one covered in salt. He handed them to the lady, who in turn handed them to Jake.

"$11.95."

Jake took out his wallet and was about to hand over the money, when he saw the lady's eyes widen.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Looks like there's some sort of commotion. Jake turned around, and was shocked at what he saw. A burly man wearing ripped jeans and a black leather jacket was standing in front of the fountain. His back was turned slightly, but Jake saw a devilish grin on his face. In front of him was a Nidoking, and between the fountain and the poison type was none other than Eevee. Eevee was cowering in fear, obviously scared for his life. He seemed to be panting a bit, which wasn't a good sign. There was a bit of a crowd surrounding the area, most of them looking upon the man with disgust, yet they did nothing about it.

"Nidoking, use Double Kick on that pesky Eevee!" The man commanded. "No Pokémon escapes from a Pokeball thrown by me and gets away with it!"

Nidoking complied, and started charging towards the small normal type. His feet started to glow, and jumped into the air. He was about to deliver the super effective attack, when Eevee started to flicker, and multiple copies of him appeared. Nidoking landed awkwardly, passing through the fake Eevee. He lost his balance and stumbled. Eevee took the opportunity to use a Tackle attack from behind. He hit the top part of his back, pushing the Drill Pokémon into the fountain. The ground type landed in the water and roared in pain, scaring the children in the crowd.

"Pathetic. Tyranitar, mash that pipsqueak into a pulp!" The man shouted as he threw a Pokeball. A seven foot reptilian Pokémon appeared, roaring his name, causing some of the adults to back away nervously.

"Renegade Focus Blast, Grace, Psychic!"

Two Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. A Hydreigon appeared and immediately formed a brown ball of energy with his largest head, and shot it at the Tyranitar, dealing massive damage.

The man in the leather jacket reached for another Pokeball, but was enveloped in a blue light, thanks to a psychic attack by a Gardevoir. Nidoking was still struggling to get up from the fountain, weakened by the water inside of it.

Jake ran up to Eevee, and picked him up and started comforting him. He then turned to the immobilized man, rage in his eyes.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" He demanded.

The man laughed. "What makes you think I'll answer to you?"

"Renegade, Head Smash on Tyranitar. Full power."

The dragon type complied, and his body became enveloped in a blue aura. He flew over to Tyranitar at a great speed, who was still recovering from the last attack. Renegade smashed into Tyranitar, sending him flying back. A few people in the crowd had to dive out of the way to avoid being crushed. Tyranitar landed in a heap, knocked out. Renegade didn't fare to well either, taking massive recoil damage.

"I'll ask again. What the fuck do you think you're doing with my Eevee!?"

"If he's yours, then why was he sucked into my Pokeball?" A trainer's Pokémon cannot be captured by another trainer." The man sneered. He was getting uncomfortable being immobilized, and had stopped struggling against the psychic grasp provided by Grace.

"It doesn't matter if I never captured him. Eevee is with me, and you better leave him alone. I'm going to let you go. You better make the right choice and leave. Grace, release him." Jake said sternly.

Grace complied, releasing her grasp on the man. The man laughed once again.

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into kid. No one fucks with Keith Jacobs and gets away with it." Keith said. He reached for two Pokeballs on his belt, and recalled his fallen Pokémon. He then quickly replaced them with two more, and threw them. "Torterra and Aggron, show this punk what he's getting into!"

The Continent Pokémon and the Iron Armor Pokémon materialized in a flash of light. Both roared loudly, causing everyone in the crowd to step back in fear.

"What now kid?" Keith laughed. He then rolled up the sleeve on his right arm, revealing a device that looked like a watch. He pressed a button, and yelled, "Aggron, Mega Evolve!"

Aggron then became enveloped in a purple light, and a brown sphere soon surrounded him. A few seconds later, he broke out of it, revealing a much bulkier version of himself. His body was thicker, and his tail got longer. His stance changed to one that was hunched over, and he roared loudly, causing everyone in the crowd to back away even further.

Jake sighed. He turned to Eevee. "Bud, I know you're scared right now, but I need you to stand back." He placed Eevee down on the floor, and Eevee quickly scampered back. "Renegade, stay with Eevee. Grace, this isn't your fight. Return." Jake recalled the psychic/fairy type and placed her Pokeball on his belt. He then pulled out two Pokeballs and threw them immediately.

"Blazer and Maverick, engage!"

The shiny Blaze Pokémon and the Mach Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. They looked at their opponents, then at each other, and nodded in understanding.

Jake then looked at Blazer. "I know this isn't your favorite thing to do, but I really need you to pull through for me. Okay?"

Blazer nodded, and tensed his body in anticipation.

Jake pressed the button on his watch, which happened to be a mega ring, and Blazer started glowing pink. A brown sphere soon enveloped him, and a few seconds later, he broke out of it, revealing his mega form. His feathers on the back of his head were now a cream color, and they pointed upwards. The yellow on his legs was replaced by black, and his wrists now had two ropes of flames shooting out.

Blazer wasn't a huge fan of mega evolution. He liked his newfound speed and power, but he always felt odd while in the process of mega evolving. However, he knew that Jake would only call for it when the situation was dire, and would perform his duty to the best of his ability. He sensed the rage coming from Jake, which made him a but angry.

"Aww, the kid has his own Mega Evolution. No matter, nothing gets past Aggron's defenses, not even super effective moves thanks to Filter. Now tell me, what are you gonna so?" Keith taunted.

Jake pulled out Grace's Pokeball again. After releasing her, he told her to protect the bystanders and make sure that nobody got hurt. He thought for a few seconds, before releasing his remaining two Pokémon. Riptide and Blade appeared and looked at their trainer expectantly.

"Same thing as Grace, keep everyone back. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

His two Pokémon nodded, and proceeded to do what they were told.

Jake then turned back to Keith. "Time to settle this. Maverick, Flamethrower on Aggron, Blazer, you too!" He commanded.

"Aggron, Iron Defense! Torterra, Earth Power on Blaziken!"

Both of Jake's Pokémon opened their mouths, releasing streams of flames. They made contact with the bulky steel type, who was glowing silver. Torterra stamped one of his feet onto the ground, causing a split to form underneath Blazer. A yellow energy poured out, causing the fire type to lose his focus.

"Blazer, Blaze Rush into Ice Punch!"

Blazer burst into flames, and crashed into Torterra in a flash. His fist then became coated with Ice, and he smashed it into the turtle's head, dealing massive damage.

"Maverick, Earth Power on Aggron! Blazer trap Torterra with Rock Tomb!"

"Aggron, Rock Polish into Dragon Claw!"

Blazer slammed his foot into the ground, and rocks appeared underneath Torterra, and quickly closed around him, preventing him from moving. Aggron's body glowed white, and the bulky steel type became much faster. He charged into Maverick, who had just launched his attack, and slammed a glowing claw into his side, sending the dragon type flying back. He landed in a heap, and struggled to get up.

Jake realized that he was in a bad situation. He had Torterra in check, but Aggron was now twice as fast as he was before, and Maverick had taken serious damage from that Dragon Claw attack.

_Focus, if I go into thought, he'll just attack me before I can react._

"Blazer, Blaze Kick on Aggron! Maverick, finish Torterra off with Ice Fang!"

Maverick finally got up, and flew over to where Torterra was struggling to break free. He finally did so, only to be met with an Ice Fang to the face. He roared in pain, and collapsed onto the ground, defeated.

Keith quickly recalled him, and then gave a command to Aggron. "Send that Blaziken back with a Headbutt!"

As Blazer charged in, his foot went ablaze, and he struck Aggron on the head. The Iron Armor Pokémon retaliated by sending him flying back with a Headbutt attack.

"Break your fall with Acrobatics!" Jake yelled.

Blazer landed on his hands, and performed a roll, which broke his fall. He got up to his feet, and struck a fighting pose, awaiting his next order.

_Damnit, once Aggron Mega evolves, his defense is too damn high! Blazer can out speed him, thanks to Speed Boost, but High Jump Kick is too risky. Fuck it, here goes nothing._

"Rock Tomb!"

Blazer stomped his foot into the ground, and rocks quickly surrounded Aggron. The success was short lived, however, as Aggron broke out of it with arrogant ease.

Both Aggron and Keith laughed. "Dumbass kid, no matter what you try, Aggron will counter it. And don't even think about trying a special attack, nothing gets through Aggron's Iron Defense." Keith taunted.

"I've dealt with people like you before, and I'll do it again. Blazer, Close Combat!"  
Blazer was upon Aggron in a flash, thanks to Speed Boost. He then started rapidly punching and kicking the steel titan, preventing any sort of counter attack. He then performed a Low Kick, tripping and dealing massive damage to Aggron.

"Finish with Blaze Kick!"

While all this was happening, Maverick was standing in the background, recovering his energy. He knew that he didn't have much of a chance at mega evolution, so he stood back and hoped for the best. However, when he heard Keith call for a Metal Burst attack, he knew he had to act fast to save the battle.

Blazer ignited his foot, and was about to strike Aggron, when he was pushed away by Maverick. Aggron let out an ear piercing screech, and the energy waves slammed into the Mach Pokémon, knocking him out cold instantly.

Jake's eyes widened. _Shit. What the fuck just happened?_ He thought for a second, recalling the last few seconds. Realization then hit him.

He pulled out Maverick's Pokeball and recalled him. "Thanks for saving Blazer. You probably saved this battle." He said as he placed the Pokeball on his belt.

_If Metal Burst knocked Maverick out, then Aggron can't have much energy left_  
"Blazer, Close Combat one more time!" Jake commanded.

"Block it with Iron Tail! Then go into Focus Punch!" Keith shouted.

Blazer got up to his feet and regained his composure. He then sped over to Mega Aggron and started relentlessly attacking him without any sort of letup. Aggron's taile glowed white, and he slammed it into the fire type, sending him flying back. He then charged towards Blazer with a glowing fist ready to strike at an astounding speed, thanks to his previous Rock Polish.

"Protect!" Jake yelled frantically.

A green bubble appeared over Blaziken, just before Aggron struck him. His fist collided with the barrier, causing him to roar in pain.

"Flamethrower now!"

Blazer opened his mouth and released a jet of flames, which struck the steel type dead on. Aggron roared in pain, and burn marks were visible on the front of his body.

"Earthquake!" Keith demanded.

Jake's eyes widened. An attack like that in the middle of a food court would surely cause massive damage to the structure of the mall, as well as potentially injure anyone who was watching the battle. League standard battlefields were specially constructed to be able to take any sort of Pokémon attack. Malls were constructed to house tons of people and stores, not take Earthquake attacks.

"Grace and Blade, stop that Aggron with Psychic. NOW!"

His two psychic types complied, and immobilized the mega beast with their psychic powers.

"You have one chance to recall Aggron. I suggest you take it." Jake said coldly.

"Like I'm gonna listen to you. Aggron, break free!"

"Blazer, finish him off with a High Jump Kick!"

Blazer jumped into the air, and aimed his knee at the immobilized steel type. Aggron was doing his best to break free, but the hold was too strong. Blazer landed the attack, and Aggron finally collapsed under the attack. He flashed white, before returning to his base form. Blazer did the same, and immediately fell to his knees from exhaustion. He was still conscious, but was panting heavily.

"Blazer, return. You've earned the rest." Jake said sincerely.

Before Jake could do anything, Keith spoke up. "Don't think this is over. I still have two Pokémon left. He started to reach for his two remaining Pokeballs, before a feminine voice called out.

"Gardevoir, restrain him with Psychic! Arcanine, Roar!"

Keith once again felt himself restrained by a psychic grasp. An Arcanine appeared in a flash, and roared all of Jake's Pokémon back into their Pokeballs. Grace, Riptide, Blade, and Renegade were sucked back into their Pokeballs. Eevee, scared out of his wits, jumped into a bewildered Jake's arms.

"Now, stand down." The woman walked out, revealing a slim figure with blue green hair in a police uniform.

Jake recognized her as Officer Jenny.

"Both of you are under arrest for disturbance of the peace. Do you know how much trouble you could have caused with your battle? Someone could have been seriously hurt."

Two more police officers arrived and handcuffed Keith first. Before they could cuff Jake, he placed Eevee down and called out Riptide. "Go find May, and tell her what happened." The two Pokémon nodded, and Eevee quickly hopped on Riptide's back, and they ran off.

Jake was then cuffed. "Leave those two alone. My girlfriend needs to know, and they're going to find her. I can guarantee they won't cause trouble." Jake said pleadingly.

"I don't care. You're under arrest, and so are your Pokémon." Jenny said. "After them!" She yelled. A third police officer appeared, saluted, and ran off after Jake's Pokémon after he was given Riptide's Pokeball.

Jake's Pokeballs were seized, and he was led off. The crowd parted to let the officers through, and some were held back for questioning.

* * *

**(Begin Pokespeak.)**

"Come on, you need to go faster! They'll catch up to us!" Eevee shouted. He was hanging onto the shoulders of Riptide, who was running away as fast as he could. They made their way through the mall, and people who were unaware of the fiasco in the food court were surprised when they saw a Swampert with an Eevee on his back running away from a chasing police officer.

"Sorry, I'm going as fast as I can. It's not my fault that my species is cursed with slow speed. We're made to take hits and deal damage, not to out speed our foes." Riptide replied as he was running. He turned a corner and saw an exit.

"There's the exit! Now we just need to find the Pokémon Center! That's where May is!" Eevee pointed out.

"I see it!" Riptide said as he ran towards the exit."

They got outside, and Riptide stopped. "Which way?" He asked.

"To the left! I remember coming in this way with Jake." Eevee replied.

"Alright, hold on little buddy." Riptide said as he started running again.

"Hey, you two, stop in the name of the law!" The police officer called after them.

* * *

**(A/N there's a bit of a skewed timeline here, you'll see what I mean later)**

May had just finished talking to Ash, after she promised to meet up with him at Driftveil for the umpteenth time. She was just about to leave, when she remembered that Jake had left.

_Where did he go?_ she asked herself. _Oh well, might as well go to the mall, I'll call him and tell him to meet me there._ She then took out her Pokenav and dialed Jake's number. After about thirty seconds of ringing, it went to voicemail.

"Hey, it's Jake. I'm not here right now, obviously, so leave me a message and I'll call you back when I can."

There was a beep on the other end, signaling May to leave her message.

"Hey Jake, call me back as soon as you can. I just finished talking to Ash, and I want to meet up with you at the mall. Bye." She then hung up and sighed. _Wow, it's a bit weird being alone now. Ever since Jake and I got together, we've basically been inseparable._

May then pulled out a Pokeball. "Glaceon, come on out!" She said as she threw it. The Fresh Snow Pokémon appeared, and she cuddled up to May's leg. Despite her being an ice type, her body was quite warm.

"Hey Glaceon, care to keep me company?"

"Glay! Glaceon!"

"Thought so. Now come on, we're heading to the mall to meet up with Jake. At least if he got my message."

"Glaceon!"

The two headed off to the direction of the mall. They walked in silence, with nothing out of the ordinary happening. About ten minutes later, they arrived. Just before the two were about to head inside, Glaceon turned around.

"Swampert!"

"Eevee!"

Upon hearing the two voices, May also turned around. She saw a Swampert with an Eevee on his back burst out of the entrance. They were running away from a cop, who wasn't too far behind.

"Could it be?" May asked herself.

Her question was answered when the Swampert stopped in front of May, and the Eevee jumped into her arms.

"Where's Jake?" May asked.

"Eevee. Eev. Eevee!"

"Damnit, I wish I could understand you." May said.

"Hey, put that Pokémon down!" The police officer said as he finally caught up.

"Why? I know him, along with the Swampert. And why are you chasing them?" May inquired.

"Because they're under arrest!" The policeman answered.

"How can you arrest a Pokémon?"

"A Pokémon is arrested when its trainer has been arrested."

"Wait, you mean Jake has been arrested!?"

Both Swampert and Eevee nodded.

"Take me to the station, I want to talk to Officer Jenny about this." May demanded.

"Calm down there kid. Your friend, or whatever he is to you, was arrested for disturbing the peace. He battled this guy in the middle of the food court."

"I'm sure there was a good reason for it. Now tell me, was the other person arrested too?"

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take these two Pokémon back to the station." The office pulled out a Pokeball and pressed the button, which recalled Riptide. "Hand over the Eevee."

Eevee cowered in fear, and snuggled into May's arms. "Let me go with you. He won't go anywhere. I promise." May said.

"If you're lying to me, you'll be taken in under impediment of arrest." the policeman said in a harsh tone. "Follow me."

He started walking, and May quickly recalled Glaceon, who stood there speechless. Eevee still buried his head into May's arms.

"Don't worry, we'll figure this out." May said, trying to comfort the small normal type. She then started to follow the policeman.

_Jake, what have you gotten yourself into?_

* * *

Jake was sitting in the interrogation room. The room was bare, except for a table, two chairs, and a security camera. He had been waiting for almost thirty minutes, when the door finally opened. A burly man who looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties walked in. He held a clipboard and a pen, and sat down across from Jake.

"So what's the deal?" Jake asked nervously.

"First, I want to hear your side of the story, just so I can cross check it with eyewitness reports. So don't even _think_ about lying." The man said in a stern tone.

"And what about Keith?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Aright. So I had just gone to the food court with Eevee, when I noticed that it was crowded. I told him to save us a table while I went to get us two pretzels. Nothing happened until the lady behind the counter pointed out a commotion behind me. When I turned around, I saw Keith standing behind his Nidoking, who was in a battle position against Eevee, who I could tell had just broken out of a Pokeball."

"Why was Eevee sucked into a Pokeball if he's yours?" The man asked.

"Because I've never officially captured him. I saved him from a poacher almost six years ago, and he refused to be put in a Pokeball."

The man seemed satisfied by the answer. "Carry on."

"Anyways, Keith ordered a Double Kick, and Eevee dodged with Double Team, then pushed him into the fountain with a Tackle attack, just like I taught him to. He then rambled and called out his Tyranitar. That's when I intervened. I ran over and called out my Hydreigon to use Focus Blast on Tyranitar, and my Gardevoir to use Psychic on Keith to immobilize him. He then introduced himself, and I gave him a chance to walk away, but he refused. He called out his Torterra and Aggron, mega evolving the Aggron. I'll admit that I lost control of my anger, and I called out my Blaziken and Garchomp. I mega evolved Blaziken. I told my Hydreigon to protect Eevee, and called out my Gardevoir, Gallade, and Swampert to make sure everyone was back far enough so no one got hurt. Then we battled. He lost Torterra, while I lost Garchomp. He called for an Earthquake attack, and I knew that it would cause serious collateral damage. I told my Gardevoir and Gallade to immobilize Aggron with Psychic, and gave Keith one last chance to stand down. Once again he refused, so I told my Blaziken to knock it out with a High Jump Kick. The rest you already know. Jenny intervened, and here we are."

"And why did you tell your Swampert and Eevee to run off?"

"So they could alert my girlfriend as to what happened."

"Alright, come with me." The man said as he stood up.

"Where are we going?"

"To the cell blocks. You'll stay there until we make a decision on whether to arrest you or not."

Jake sighed. He knew that there was no use in arguing. But he had to make one thing clear. "If you do decide to let me go, can you please hurry up? I need to catch the ferry to Driftveil in two hours, and I can't miss it."

"Don't. Ask. Again." was the reply.

_Fuck you Keith. I hope you drop the soap every time you take a fucking shower in prison you bitch_ Jake thought.

* * *

May followed the policeman into the station, and they went over to the front desk.

"I have the two Pokémon of Jake Smith." He said.

The man behind the desk pointed down a hallway. "Third door on your right."

"Come on girl, this way." The policeman said as he led her down the hall.

Eevee was still burying his head into May's chest. It was obvious that he wasn't going to be taken away from her easily. _What are they going to do with Eevee?_ she asked herself.

"Let's go!" The police officer said, snapping May out of her thoughts. She quickly scurried up to where he was standing. "In here," he said.

May walked into the room, which had a table with five Pokeballs on it. There was also a Pokenav, a backpack, and a small shopping bag with something blue in it. On another table, six Pokeballs were present, but May didn't really care about those. When she saw the police officer place Riptide's ball with the other five, she realized that they were Jake's.

The policeman then took out a cage. "Put the Eevee in here."

"Are you crazy? Let him stay here with me! He's not gonna go anywhere!" May protested.

"Now." He said in a cold tone.

May looked at Eevee, who was still cuddling up to her. "I'm sorry, but I have to. I know that you know that it breaks my heart to have you put in there." May said softly.

Eevee picked up his head. There was a sad expression on his face. He then licked her face, followed by a "Vui!" before he jumped onto the table, and started slowly walking towards the open cage. Just as he was about to go inside, the policeman was interrupted by another.

The second policeman whispered into the first's ear, and a few seconds later looked at May.

"Are you May Maple?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" May asked with a confused tone.

"Come with me, and bring the Eevee."

Upon hearing this, Eevee jumped into May's arms. "Vui!" He said happily, glad that he didn't have to go into the cage.

May followed the second officer out of the room. They walked down a hallway, and walked into another room. This one had a few jail cells, and one of them was occupied. In it was Jake, who had his head down.

Upon hearing footsteps, Jake looked up. His eyes widened when he saw May walk in with Eevee. He immediately got up and walked up to the bars of the cell. "May!" He said happily.

"Jake!" May said. "What the hell did you do?" She demanded. Her tone was cold, and it sent a chill down Jake's spine. Her expression was one that showed concern and anger in it.

"Long story short, some asshat decided it was okay to try and capture Eevee. He then proceeded to battle me in the middle of the food court. I beat him, and I got arrested for disturbance of the peace. Now I'm waiting to see if I've been let go or not." He said solemnly. He then looked at Eevee. "How are you holdin up bud?"

"Vui." Eevee responded with a sad tone.

"Don't worry about me. As long as these guys have brain cells, they'll realize that I'm not the one at fault." He then looked up at May, who still had a cold glare.

"When you get out of here, I want the full story. And don't even think about lying to me." She said coldly.

"Yes dear." Jake said nervously.

A third officer walked in, and there was a quiet discussion between them. Finally, they turned around. One of the officers walked up to the bars with keys in his hands. He then proceeded to unlock the cell. "You're free to go. Follow me to get your stuff." He said. Jake walked out, and the first thing that happened was that Eevee jumped from May's arms to Jake's. He then snuggled up to him affectionately. Jake then followed the officer to the room that had all of Jake's stuff with May close behind.

They got inside the room, and Jake immediately went over to his stuff. He pocketed his Pokenav, and clipped his Pokeballs to his belt. He then put his backpack on is back after placing the small shopping bag inside of it. Realization then hit him as he looked at his mega ring, which also had a watch feature. The time was 5:30.

"May, we gotta go now if we want to catch the ferry. You have all your stuff packed, right?"

"Yeah. I also turned in my key card to the front desk on the way out."

"Good. I'll meet you at the ferry, I haven't checked out of the hotel yet."

The two walked back down the hall, and out the front door.

"Are you gonna make it back in time?" May asked.

"Yeah." Jake replied as he pulled out a Pokeball. He pressed the button, and Grace appeared. "Grace, I need you to teleport us back to the hotel. May, I'll meet you at the ferry. Wait for me, otherwise they won't let you on. Also, take Eevee for me. It's a bit of a strain for more than one passenger while teleporting." Jake handed May Eevee, who decided to hop into her shoulder. Jake then turned to Grace and placed his hand on hers. "Alright, let's go." Jake and Grace disappeared in a flash, leaving May and Eevee alone.

"I guess it's just us now." May said as she started walking towards the harbor. "Is it true? Someone tried to capture you?" She asked in a concerned tone.

"Vui." Eevee said as he nodded solemnly. He remembered the day's events, and started cuddling up to May as tears formed in his eyes.

May stopped walking and turned her full attention to Eevee. "Don't worry, I can guarantee you that Jake will never let anything happen to you. It's just the way he is. He'd go to hell and back to get you back if you were captured." May reassured him.

Eevee looked into her eyes, seeing the sincerity in them. "Vui!" He said as he licked her cheek.

"I don't know what you just said, but I'm glad you're okay. Come on, we have a boat to catch!" May said as she started walking again.

* * *

"Where is he?" May asked. To no one in particular. She was pacing back and forth near the check in terminal for the ferry. Eevee sat on a nearby table, keeping a lookout for Jake.

A horn sounded from the ferry, and the loudspeakers started cackling. "Final call for the ferry to Driftveil. Docking ends in ten minutes."

"Where the hell are you Jake?" May said to no one in particular.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and Jake and Grace appeared.

"Phew, just made it!" He turned to May and Eevee. "Come on, the ferry is about to leave." Jake said. Eevee hopped on his shoulder, and Jake took May's hand and started dragging May towards the check in terminal. Grace simply followed them.  
Jake pulled out his PokeDex and handed it to the lady behind the desk. "Jake Smith. Guest is May Maple." He said.

"You made it just in time. One moment please." The lady scanned the PokeDex and handed it back to Jake. "Room 202. Here are your keys. Good luck in the tournament." She said.

"Thanks." Jake said as he took the keys. "Let's go May."

The three walked onto the ship, and a minute later, it debarked from port and headed off.

"Wanna go get something to eat?" Jake asked. "I never got to eat my pretzel, and it's basically dinner time."

"Sure."

"First though, I wanna head back to the room." Jake walked over to a conveniently placed map. "Says here that we're on the port side second floor."

"Is that right or left?" May asked.

"Left, I think. Come on." Jake headed off to a stairwell, followed by May, and Grace followed behind her.

* * *

The two walked into the room once Jake unlocked the door, and were soon followed by Grace. The room was a medium size, with two full size beds next to each other a few feet apart. Across from the door to the hall was a door to the bathroom, and there was a dresser with a flat screen TV across from the beds. A small armchair was in the back corner of the room, right next to a lamp.

Jake flung his bag on the bed nearest to the door. "I call this bed!" He said. Eevee hopped down onto it, claiming his own spot on the bed. He then curled up for a quick nap.

"Then I guess I get this one." May said as she sat down on the bed next to the one Jake claimed.

"Grace, you wanna stay out of your Pokeball a little longer? I don't mind."

**(A/N I mentioned this once before, both Gardevoir and Gallade can speak to Jake through telepathy.)**

_I don't mind. Will you let Blade stay out of his ball too? _Grace asked.

"Yeah, Blade, come on out!" Jake threw another Pokeball, and the Blade Pokémon appeared. He immediately went over to Grace, and started talking to Grace via telepathy, none of which anyone else could hear.

"I noticed that you had a shopping bag earlier with your stuff. What was in it?"

Jake sighed. "I was hoping you didn't see that." He dug through his bag and pulled out the small shopping bag. "I was gonna give this to you earlier, but uh, unforeseen circumstances appeared." Jake said nervously as he handed the bag over.

May took it, and pulled out the blue bandana.

"I got that for you since you got me a hat, and I felt bad about not getting you anything." Jake said.

"Thanks. I can't wear it now, since it doesn't match my outfit. However, I do have another one that this would go perfectly with." May said with a smile. She walked up to Jake and wrapped her arms around him. after a few seconds, she leaned in for a kiss, and Jake followed suit.

On the other side of the room, Grace and Blade were watching the whole thing happen.

_I've never seen nor felt Jake happier than now, not even when he won the Hoenn League._ Grace said.

_Human love is something that us Pokémon will never understand. However, seeing Master Jake happy like this gives a whole new insight to this concept._ Blade replied.

_To be honest, for as long as I've known him, I never would have thought he would be able to do it._

_Do what?_

_Get a girlfriend. He always seemed so focused on his training, that girls would be the last thing on his mind._

_Yet here he is now._

The two looked back over, and noticed that the young couple had broken off.

"Let's go get something to eat. I'll tell you the full story of what happened at the mall over dinner." Jake said.

"Fine by me." May said as she stood up. She went over to her bed, and put her new bandana next to the rest of her stuff.

"Eevee you coming?"

There was no response. Only the rising and falling of Eevee's chest.

"Can you two make sure that Eevee stays out of trouble while we're gone?" Jake asked his two psychic types.

_Of course._ Grace said.

"Thanks. Come on May, I'm hungry."

"Right behind ya!"

* * *

Jake and May were sitting at a table at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

"Good thing competitors and their guest get to eat free, otherwise you'd go broke!" May giggled.

"Well, with your eating habits, it's no surprise."

May glared at him.

"Shit." Jake muttered to himself. "You know that's not what I meant." Jake defended.

"Then what did you mean?" She asked with a harsh tone.

"I meant that no matter how much you eat, you still keep that great figure of yours! Girls across the world would be jealous of you!"

"That's better. Now, I believe that you have some explaining to do about today." May said.

"Alright, it started when Eevee and I went into the food court..." Jake then recalled the story to May exactly as he told it to the policeman in the interrogation room. Once he finished reselling the story, May picked up her chair across from him and pulled it up next to him.

"Now I can see why they let you go. No one should have to deal with something like that." May said sincerely as she put her hand on top of Jake's.

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I would be worried about Eevee. He was scared shitless today. I haven't seen him look that scared since the day I met him."

"When you saved him from a poacher?"

"Yeah. I swear to Arceus, people like that shouldn't be allowed to exist. Seeing him treat Eevee like that, I don't know. I just lost it. I let my anger get the best of me." Jake said sadly.

"Don't worry about it. You did what you had to do. I have to ask though, what's it like battling against a mega Pokémon?"

"First off, it's scary. The only real chance you have against them are your own Mega Pokémon. Luckily, I have Blazer's mega stone, so he was able to hold his own."

"What mega stones do you have?"

"I only have two. The Blazikenite and Garchompite."

"So you can mega evolve Maverick?"

"Yeah, although I've oly done it twice before. Even though he becomes more powerful, he loses speed and his ability to fly, which is one of his trump cards."

"What does he look like? I've seen a picture of a Mega Blaziken before, but not Mega Garchomp."

Hpjake pulled out his Pokenav and went to the Internet browser, and started typing. He then showed a picture to May. It showed a picture of a Garchomp, but this one was different. The posture was more upright, and his legs were a bit bulkier. There as a fin on his back with a notch in it, signifying that he was male. His face was different, as it had a longer chin and a menacing grin. The most notable thing, however, was that his arms no longer had fins and claws. Instead, they formed large scythes at the end.

"Wow, that's kinda scary," May said.

"Yeah. Powerful, but slow. Anyways, I think we should head back to the room. It's getting late, and I don't know if Eevee's still sleeping or not. Hopefully he is."

"Alright, lead the way." May said as she grabbed Jake's hand.

Jake took it, and the two headed off back to the room. On the way, a poster caught Jake's attention, causing him to stop. "Tag Battle Tournament Tomorrow" it said.

"Hey May, look at this!" Jake said.

"What is it?" She asked as she walked over. "Tag battle tournament. Sign up with your partner and have tag battles against other pairs. Winners get a special prize." She read.

"You wanna try it? It's up to you."

May thought for a second. "Sure, but the day after, we have to do what I wanna do. Deal?"

"Deal." Jake said.

The two continued on their way back to the room through the hallway. They got to the door and Jake unlocked it.

Once inside, Jake was tackled to the ground by Eevee.

_Sorry, but as soon as Eevee woke up, he was pacing around the room anxiously. Once he heard the door open, he ran over to you and tackled you to the ground._ Blade said.

"Don't worry about it. As long as my little bud didn't s cause any trouble, I don't mind." He said to the psychic type. Jake then turned to Eevee, who was rubbing his head against Jake's chest. "Don't worry bud, I'm here." He said quietly as he scratched the normal type behind the ears.

"Vui. Eevee eev!"

"I just went to get something to eat with May. You fell asleep, and I didn't want to wake you up after the long day you had."

"Vui!"

"Okay, next time I'll wake you up."

May stood there, watching Jake and Eevee interact. She smiled at the two.

_You're a lucky girl_ a voice said from inside her mind. It was a soft voice that sounded feminine.

_What the hell? Who said that?_ May thought back as she jumped back.

_Don't worry, it's Grace, Jake's Gardevoir. I'm using telepathy to speak to you._

May heaved a sigh of relief. _Please don't scare me like that._

_Sorry. I just wanted to say that you bring Jake a lot of happiness._

_What do you mean?_

_Ever since he met back up with you, it seems like a piece of him that was missing is now put back into place._

_How do you know?_

_I'm not called the Embrace Pokémon for nothing, you know._

_Fair enough._

_You know he loves you, right?_

_Uhh, yeah._ May though back, not knowing how to respond.

_And do you feel the same?_ Grace asked.

_Yeah. I can safely say that I do. Why?_

_Although I'm not entirely familiar with the human concept of love, I know that if a 'breakup' occurs between you two, then things would get really bad really fast._

_Don't worry, I have no plans of that happening._

Before either of them could say anything else, Jake spoke, breaking their mental link.

"Grace, Blade, sorry, but I'm gonna have to put you two back in your Pokeballs. There's not enough room for all four of us to sleep in here." Jake said.

Don't worry about it, Master Jake. Blade said.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that." Jake replied with an annoyed tone.

_After all you've done for me, you deserve the title, and I refuse to stop calling you it_

Jake sighed. "If you say so. He let the two psychic types say their temporary goodbyes, before he recalled them. He then turned to May, who had a slightly shocked look on her face.

"Was Grace talking to you?" He asked.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I could tell by the look on your face. She can be a bit intruding at times, but she means well. What did she say to you?" Jake asked.

"Consider it, uh, 'girl talk.' Not something that you need to know." May replied.

"Alright, alright. I'm gonna change for bed. I'm tired, so I'm hitting the sack early."

"Okay."

* * *

Jake was lying in bed. He was on his side, and Eevee was asleep in his arms. He was thinking over the day's events. There was a sliver of light that peaked through the window, which fell onto his face.

May was also lying in bed, thinking over the day's events. She then noticed that a sliver of light that fell onto jakes face. She smiled when she saw him dozing off with Eevee on his arms. _May, you scored big time_ she thought to herself, before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**So there it is, chapter 26. I am going to slow down my update schedule to every 3-4 days, as it will allow me to write longer chapters, such as this one. This one was my longest, clocking in at 9k+ words (chapter 12 held the previous record at 7.6k). I'll be the first to admit that some of my recent chapters have been somewhat lacking, and that's because of a lack of motivation and time. That being said, I am in no way canceling or putting this on hold, I'm just giving myself more time to write longer and better chapters.**

**Please tell me what you thought about the whole mini plot regarding the food court battle. Also, the first real look at mega evolutions. I had one back in chapters 1 and 2 in the dream, but I think that this battle was better written. Please note that they will be making frequent appearances during the full battles in the tournament, which is when they are allowed. The battles will probably be as, if not more intense than this one. Also, please tell me if you want to see more mini plots like this one. If you have a suggestion for one, leave it in a review. If I feel like it could work, I may use it. If so, I'll credit you at the end of the chapter.**

**That's all from me. As always, read and review everyone!**


	28. Chapter 27

**Last chapter, the main protagonist was Keith. "Watch out for Keith!" If you get that reference, +1000 internetz for you.**

**Now on to chapter 27. Enjoy.**

* * *

Jake was the first to awaken, as the sun's rays shone on his face through the little sliver of the window that wasn't covered by the curtains. He slowly got up, which awoke Eevee, who was still in his arms.

"Vui!" He said, mildly annoyed.

"Sorry bud. The sun was in my eyes, and it woke me up."

"Vui! Eevee eev."

"No, I'm not gonna wake May up. It's only..." Jake then looked at his watch. "8:00. That's way too early to be woken up."

Jake got up from sitting on the bed, and started his morning routine, which involved taking a shower. He went over to his bag, and got out a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt, along with a towel. He then headed into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. Eevee was left alone, so he decided to hop onto May's bed. He then curled up next to her, and started to fall back asleep.

Fifteen minutes later, Jake was got of the shower, dried off, and got dressed. When he opened the bathroom door, he smiled when he saw Eevee sleeping right next to May. Instead of waking either of them up, he got out a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote a note.

_May,  
I went out to the buffet restaurant to get some breakfast. Eevee is here with you, so if I'm not back by the time you read this, can you bring him with you if you come down?  
Thanks,  
Jake_

He placed the note on the bedside table right next to May's bed so she could see it when she woke up. He then put his new hat on and walked out the door.

* * *

May woke up, and felt something furry against her skin. When she opened her eyes, she saw Eevee laying against her, fast asleep. She smiled. "You're such a cutie, just like your trainer." Very carefully, she got up, making sure not to wake the sleeping normal type. Before she went anywhere, she noticed a piece of paper on the bedside table. When she picked it up, she realized that it was a note from Jake. She read it over, then put it down.

_Time to get ready for the day._

May picked up a fresh change of clothes from her bag, as well as a towel. She then headed into the bathroom to shower.

Twenty minutes later, May had finished getting dressed, so she went to wake up Eevee.  
She nudged him gently. "Hey Eevee, it's time to wake up." She said softly.

Eevee slowly opened his eyes, lifting his head up slowly.

"Vui." He yawned.

"Sorry to wake you, but I'm gonna head to the buffet to get some breakfast, and Jake wanted me to bring you with me." May said.

"Eevee!" Eevee slowly got up and stretched, then he hopped up onto May's shoulder, and rubbed against her affectionately.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

Jake was eating a plate of pancakes while reading a guide on activities on the ship. Although it wasn't exactly a luxury cruise, there were still plenty of things to do. There was a swimming pool with a water slide, and also a training facility below deck for use by anyone who was entering the tournament, among other things.

_Man, there's so much stuff to do! But I promised May that if she agreed to be my partner, then we would do what she wants to do tomorrow._

He was so into reading the guide, that he didn't notice a girl with an Eevee on her shoulder pull up a chair and sit across from him.

May noticed this, so she decided to play a little trick on him. She whispered into Eevee's ear, and hopped off quietly onto the table.

May got up and walked over to the distracted Jake. She leaned over, until her lips were right by his ears.

"Hey sexy!" She said in a seductive tone.

Jake jumped back, yelling, "I'm taken!" He fell out of his seat, hitting the back of his head against the ground.

He turned to see who it was who whispered in his ear, and blushed when he saw May. Seeing this, May couldn't help but laugh.

"That's not funny!"

"Yeah it is, your reaction was priceless!"

Jake glared at her as he slowly got back up, picking up his chair in the process.

"Although it was sweet when you yelled that you were taken. It's nice to know that you're loyal to me." May said.

Jake started rubbing the back of his head, both from nervousness and pain. "You're my girlfriend. I wouldn't dump you if even Jennifer Lopunny asked me out! **(A/N I tried.)**

May gave him a hug. "That's sweet of you to say, even if it is cliché," she giggled.

"I'm not lying! Well maybe..." Jake trailed off.

It was May's turn to glare at him.

"I'm kidding! At least about the dumping part..."

May gave him another death glare.

"What? She's hot!"

May continued her death stare.

"But not as good looking as you..?" Jake said with uncertainty.

"That's better."

"Anyways, how was your sleep bud?" Jake asked Eevee, ignoring the look May gave him when he changed the subject.

"Vui! Eevee!"

"Yeah, I saw you curl up against May. What's up with that?"

"Eevee!"

"Traitor."

May coughed, getting Jake's attention. She was seemingly over the previous conversational events that just took place. Once Jake look at her, she spoke. "So when's this tag battle tournament thing start?"

"Says it starts at ten, which gives us a little over an hour. First, we gotta sign up at the registration desk"

"Where's that?"

Jake looked at his guide. "Looks like it's right behind the buffet."

"Alright, let's eat, then go register."

* * *

"Name?"

"Jake Smith."

"Partner's name?"

"May Maple."

The lady behind a desk typed the info into her computer, and a few seconds later, two ID cards were ejected. The lady then handed them to Jake and May.

"Just hand those cards to the man standing by the entrance, and he'll tell you what to do."

"Thanks." Jake said.

He and May walked off to explore the ship a little before they had to be back.

"So, see anything that you might wanna do tomorrow?" Jake asked.

"I saw a pool earlier. I wouldn't mind going for a swim." May said.

"Anything else?"

"Nothing that I can think of off the top of my head."

Jake remembered something that he saw in the guide. _Should I tell her now? Or just wait until then?_ he asked himself.

May noticed Jake zone out and stop walking, and wanted to know what he was thinking about. She nudged his shoulder with her free hand, and after no response, whispered something into Eevee's ear.

"Vui." He replied.

May let go of Jake's hand, of which he took no notice. She then backed up, making sure to be out of the line of fire. Eevee hopped down from Jake's shoulder, took a few steps back, then sent a Tackle at his chest. This sent Jake stumbling to the ground. May was trying to contain her laughter in the background. She found it funny that a Pokémon that weighed only fourteen pounds and was barely over a foot tall could take someone as big as Jake down.

Jake slowly got up, holding his left arm with his right. He looked at Eevee, pain evident in his eyes.

"Eevee?" He asked.

"I'm fine, I just landed on my arm, that's all." Jake said unconvincingly.

May noticed Jake holding his arm, and she immediately went up to him.

"Are you okay?" May asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine." Jake said through gritted teeth.

"Let me see." May tried to touch Jake's arm, but he winced in pain and pulled it back in a flash. Upon seeing this, May said firmly, "We're going to the doctor. No buts."

Jake complied, knowing when he was defeated. "Eevee, can you ride on May's shoulder for a while?" He asked.

"Vui." He said apologetically as he jumped into May's outstretched arms.

"Don't worry about it bud, it's not your fault. I should have paid attention."

May put Eevee on her shoulder closest to Jake, and they turned around, heading to the ER on board. "I'm sorry, I didn't know that this would happen," May said apologetically.  
"Don't worry about it. Next time though, can you _please_ just snap me out of it like a normal person? I'm not too fond of personal injuries."

May nodded. She wrapped one of her arms around his waist, careful not to touch his injured left arm. She rested her other arm on Jake's right, and continued to hold him like that as they walked.

They walked in silence, until they got to the doors of the emergency room. Luckily, there wasn't anyone else there, so after they checked in, they were seen almost immediately.  
They walked into the small room. Jake took a seat on the patient's bed, while May sat on a chair next to wall with Eevee in her arms.

The nurse began by checking Jake's blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, followed by asking him a few questions.

"Can you move your arm?"

Jake tried moving it, but only winced in pain. "Not without a lot of pain." He said.

"On a scale from one to ten, one being very little, and ten being 'I just got ran over by a car,' what would you rate your pain as?" The nurse asked.

"Four when I'm not moving it, seven when I am."

"Last question. How exactly did this happen?"

It was May's turn to speak. "It's actually my fault. I saw Jake zoned out, and I thought it would be funny for Eevee here to snap him out of it with a Tackle attack. He knocked him over, and Jake landed on his arm." May said solemnly.

The nurse wrote something on her clipboard, and started walking out of the room. "The doctor will be right in."

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?" May asked.

"Help me win this little competition, and go with what I have planned for tonight." Jake said with a grin.

"What would that be?"

"Now that would be telling, wouldn't it?"

At that moment, the doctor walked in. He was fairly tall, standing at around Jake's height at about 6'3. He was a bit on the chubby size, and he wore a standard doctor's outfit, complete with a stethoscope around his neck.

"Jake Smith." He said. His voice was deep, and a bit unnerving.

"Yep. That's me."

"Says you were tackled to the ground by an Eevee, and you landed on your left arm?"

"Yep."

The doctor walked over to Jake, and started examining the arm. "Does it hurt more in your forearm or back arm?"

"Forearm."

"Sorry, but this is gonna hurt." He grabbed Jake's arm, and straightened it out. Jake once again winced in pain.

"Please point to where it hurts the most."

Jake pointed to a spot in the middle of his forearm on the inner portion.

"Alright, tell me when it hurts." The doctor then began pressing gently down on Jake's skin, slowly moving closer to the spot he originally pointed to. Once he got close, Jake spoke up.

"There." He said.

The doctor then began felling around that area, making a back and forth pattern. Seeing Jake wince every time he applied pressure, he stopped.

"Well, there's good news and bad news."

"I'll take the good news first." Jake said.

"Good news is that your arm isn't broken. The bad is that it looks like you strained your muscle. I can't be for sure without an MRI, but that seems like the most likely option."

"So what are you gonna so about it?" May asked.

The doctor turned around to face her. "I suggest we put your boyfriend's arm in a sling." He said. He then turned back around. Keep it in there for two weeks. If it still hurts, then you're gonna have to see another doctor."

"Alright. Will I still be able to battle?"

"As long as you're right handed, you should be fine."

"Alright."

"I'll be back in a few minutes with a sling." The doctor said. He then left the room, leaving Jake and May behind.

Eevee jumped out from May's arms and landed on the bed where Jake was sitting. He then walked into his lap, gently rubbing against him.

"Hey bud," Jake said as he scratched Eevee behind the ears with his uninjured hand.

"Vui!" He cooed.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. As for that Tackle, it's definitely gotten stronger. Maybe it had to do with you taking down that Nidoking yesterday..." Jake trailed off. He then started thinking about yesterday's events, which caused him to become angry upon remembering what Keith had done to Eevee.

"Vui!" He said, trying to get Jake to snap out of it. He got no response.

May noticed this, and started lightly shaking Jake's uninjured shoulder. When she got no response, she did the only thing that she could think of to snap him out of it. May pressed her lips against Jake's, and started kissing him. It seemed to work, as a few seconds in, Jake started kissing back.

The door opened, and the doctor walked back in. Upon seeing the young couple having an intimate moment, he coughed. "I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" He asked in his deep voice.

The two teens broke off at hearing his voice, both blushing as they turned to him.  
The doctor pulled out the sling, and started to put it on Jake, showing him how to do it in the process.

"Alright, wear this as soon as you finish your morning routine, all the way until right before you go to sleep. I suggest you sleep on your right side, so you don't take any chances."

"Okay. Anything else?"

The doctor grinned. He whispered into Jake's ear, causing him to give the doctor a strange look, something May took notice of. She made a mental note to ask him about it once they left.

"You're free to go."

"Thanks." Jake said as he got up. Eevee hopped onto his shoulder, and May took Jake's hand. They then headed out the door. Once they were clear of the mini doctor's office, May spoke up.

"What did the doctor say to you?"

"He said that I should be good to you, since you're a keeper."

"That was...creepy."

"Yeah. It was. Now let's get over to the battlefield. I don't wanna be late."

* * *

Jake and May were standing on one side of the battlefield. Jake had his left arm in a sling, while his right hand held a Pokeball. May was next to him, and she had one of her hands on a Pokeball. Eevee was sitting on her shoulder, with an excited look on his face. On the other side, there was a man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He wore blue jeans and a white shirt, and stood with his arms crossed. His hair was blonde and curly, and he stared down the young couple with piercing brown eyes. Next to him was a boy who looked to be in his early teens, similar in appearance. His hair was also blonde and had brown eyes. His shorts were khaki, and he wore a red shirt.

On the sidelines of the battlefield, stood spectators. They were other competitors in the competition, trainers entering the Pokémon World Tournament, or simple fans. On the other side on an elevated platform, stood an MC. He wore a white suite and had black hair, along with a mustache on his upper lip. He carried himself with confidence, evident by the way he stood.

"The last match of the first round of the Tag Battle Competition will soon be underway. On one side, we have Jake Smith, this year's Hoenn League Victor, along with his lovely girlfriend May Maple, who won the Grand Festival last year. On the other side, we have Benny Johnson, along with his son, Zack. For those of you who don't know me already, I am Adam Sage, the MC and referee for this competition." Adam said. "This will be a two on two tag battle. Each trainer will use one Pokémon, and the match is over when both of either side's Pokémon are unable to battle. In the event of a tie, the match will go into sudden death. Are both sides ready?"

Jake looked at May. "You know who to use, right?" He asked.

"Yep. Just like we planned."

"Good."

When all four trainers nodded, he yelled, "Begin!"

"Nightmare, engage!" Jake shouted as he threw his Pokeball. A purple ghost, known as Gengar, appeared with a menacing grin on his face.

"Ampharos, take the stage!" May yelled as she threw her Pokeball. The Light Pokémon appeared, ready for battle.

"Chesnaught, I choose you!" Zack shouted as he threw his Pokeball. The Spiny Armor Pokémon appeared and he roared his name, intimidating a few spectators.

"Greninja, let's roll!" Benny yelled. He threw his Pokeball, and the Ninja Pokémon appeared. His tongue scarf swayed in the wind as he struck a ninja like pose.

Jake looked at May. "Go for Greninja. I got Chesnaught."

"Got it." She said back. "Ampharos, use Thunderbolt on Greninja!" She shouted.  
"Sludge Bomb on Chesnaught!" Jake commanded.

The two Pokémon sprung into action. Nightmare opened his mouth and shot globs of sludge at the grass type, while Ampharos's tail glowed as she shot a bolt of electricity at Greninja.

"Greninja, dodge and use Hydro Pump!"

"Chesnaught, Spiky Shield!"

Greninja moved out of the way of the electricity, and opened his mouth, shooting a torrent of water at Ampharos. It struck the electric type dead on, sending her skidding back. Chesnaught turned around, exposing his back. He then withdrew his head and limbs, leaving only the spikes on his back showing. The sludge struck its target, and some of it seeped in.

"Looks like Chesnaught had been poisoned! Zack has now been put on a timer!" Adam said into the microphone.

"Chesnaught, hit Ampharos with Hammer Arm!"

"Disable!"

Chesnaught reemerged with a look of rage on his face. He ran over to the recovering Electric type with a glowing fist, ready to smash it into Ampharos. Before he could, however, Gengar's eyes glowed blue, and Chesnaught became enveloped in a blue glow, stopping the attack.

"Agility into Fire Punch! Aim for Chesnaught!" May shouted.

"Nightmare, cover her!"

Ampharos glowed a white light, and ignited her fist into flames. She was then upon Chesnaught in a flash, and sent him flying back after striking him in the chest.

"Greninja, Dark Pulse on Gengar!"

"Sucker Punch!"

Just as Greninja was about to release his attack, Nightmare was seemingly teleported to him, and struck the water type in the gut, causing Greninja to lose focus.

"Now Thunderbolt!"

Gengar's body cackled with electricity, and he let loose thousands of volts of electricity into the Ninja Pokémon, knocking him out.

"Greninja is unable to battle!" Adam declared.

Benny recalled his fallen water type and turned to his son. "It's all up to you now." He said.

"Got it dad." Zack said. He looked at his Kalosian grass type, who was seething with anger, and a grin appeared on his face. "Chesnaught, use Frustration on Ampharos NOW!" He yelled.

His Pokémon happily complied, and he ran towards Ampharos. He then started senselessly beating her, venting out his anger.

"Ampharos, try a Fire Punch!" May shouted desperately. She was worried about her Pokémon, and Jake took notice.

"Sludge Bomb!" He commanded.

Gengar floated over to the attacking grass type and shot globs of sludge onto his back. The super effective hit took its toll, and Chesnaught staggered back in pain, panting heavily.

"Thanks." May said gratefully.

"Don't mention it. Now let's win this." Jake said with a smile.

May nodded.

"Thunderbolt!" They shouted together.

Both Ampharos and Gengar charged the electricity needed to perform the attack, then unleashed it at the tired grass type. Even through the resistance, it was too much. Chesnaught collapsed in a heap, unable to get up.

"Chesnaught is unable to battle, Jake and May move on to the second round!" Adam shouted. Clapping ensued from the crowd.

Jake and May recalled their Pokémon, and walked up to the father and son duo.

"Great match." Jake said as he held out his hand.

"It was." Benny replied as he shook Jake's hand.

"Now that we lost, I'm rooting for you two." Zack said as he held out his hand to May.  
May took it, causing Zack to blush slightly. Jake took notice, and felt a pang of jealousy for some reason. He immediately dismissed it, however. _Come on Jake, she loves you, not him_ he reasoned with himself.

After everyone had shook everyone's hand, the two parties went their separate ways.  
"We make a pretty good team, huh." Jake said.

"Good? We a make an awesome team! We'll win this for sure!" May exclaimed.

Hearing her say this made Jake feel warm inside. "So we wait for the drawings, which are held in ten minutes. Who do you want to use next?"

"Like I said before, I'm saving Blaziken for the final round."

"Yeah. I'd assume Blazer wants to fight alongside her, so I won't use him yet." Jake said.

"Who's your fastest Pokémon?"

"I'm not sure, although Shadow and Maverick are the two that come to mind when it comes to speed."

"How about I use my Liligant?"

"Then I'll go with Shadow. Now that we have that figured out, let's see who we're up against."

The two headed over to the stage by the battlefield, where Adam was next to a large monitor, showing the final four pairs.

The competition was small, with only a few people entering, be it from not having a partner, or spending time doing other things on the ship. Out of the original sixteen people, only eight remained.

The computer showed the faces of the pairs then flipped them over as if they were cards. It them began mixing them up, two at a time. It gradually gained speed, before finally stopping fifteen seconds later. They flipped over, and Jake and May's pictures were in the top right. Next to their pictures, were their opponents. There was a picture of a boy and a girl.

"And there you have it folks! The matchups for the second round! The first battle will begin in ten minutes."

"That's us." Jake said.

"Vui!" Eevee said, hopping from May's shoulder to Jake's.

"Thanks bud. We'll win this for sure." Jake said as he scratched Eevee with his free hand. "It's gonna take some getting used to this sling." He muttered under his breath.

"You ready?" May asked happily.

"Hell yeah."

* * *

Jake stood next to May on one side of the battlefield. Eevee was on his shoulder this time, and like before, his free hand was holding a Pokeball. May stood next to him with a determined look on her face while holding a Pokeball. The two looked at each other and smiled.

"You ready?" Jake asked.

"As always." May replied with a smile.

On the other side of the field, stood two people. One was a boy who looked to be about Jake's age. He wore grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt, and his head was covered by a red and blue hat. Under his hat was short black hair. His stood tall, with one hand holding a Pokeball. Next to him was a girl about the same age. She wore short blue jean shorts and wore a white spaghetti strap shirt. She wore a blue grey head band in her brown hair. She stood there with her hands on her hips, staring at her opponents.  
Like before, Adam, the MC, stood on a raised platform on one side of the field, while on the other were numerous spectators.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am your MC, Adam Sage, and this is the first match of the second round of the Tag Battle Competition. On one side, we have Jake Smith, this year's Hoenn League Victor, along with his girlfriend, The Princess of Hoenn, May Maple!"

Some cheers erupted from the crowd upon hearing May's name, mostly from guys.

_He even said that she's my girlfriend._ Jake thought to himself. _This is gonna take some getting used to._

"And on the other side, we have Trevor Martin, last year's runner up in the Hoenn League, and his 'friend' Stacey Golding!" Adam shouted. There was less applause this time, mostly because some of the guys were still looking at May.

"One of the downsides of being somewhat famous is having to deal with guys drooling over me." May whispered to Jake.

"You'd think that they'd catch a clue when it's announced that you're taken." Jake muttered.

"You'd think."

"Don't worry about them, I'll make sure they don't bother you."

"The tag battle is about to begin! You all know the rules, so I won't bore you with the details. Trainers, release your Pokémon!"

"Shadow, engage!" Jake called as he threw his Pokeball. The evolved Kalos water type starter appeared, striking his ninja-like pose.

"Liligant, take the stage!" May yelled as she released her Pokémon. The Flowering Pokémon appeared, and curtsied to the crowd.

"Salamence, time to rock!" Trevor shouted as he threw the Pokeball that was in his hand. The massive dragon type appeared and roared loudly as he took to the air, scaring a few kids who were watching.

"Jolteon, you're up!" Stacey said as she threw her Pokeball. The electric type Eeveelution appeared and stretched her legs, before striking a battle ready pose.

Upon seeing one of his evolved forms, Eevee perked up.

"Begin!"

"Let me deal with Salamence. I know just how to take him out." Jake said to May.

"Got it. Liligant, Quiver Dance!"

"Salamence, hit Liligant with a Flamethrower!"

"Shadow, protect Liligant with Hydro Pump!"

Liligant started to do an elegant dance, getting faster in the process. Salamence spewed flames in her direction, but they were quickly overpowered by Shadow's Hydro Pump.

"Jolteon, Thunderbolt on Greninja!" Stacey commanded.

"Shadow, use Spikes!"

Shadow's body turned brown as he swung his tongue, producing spikes that flew to the other side of the field. Jolteon let loose a massive amount of electricity, aimed straight at Shadow. He made no move to dodge, and simply smiled when the attack struck him, dealing no damage.

"What happened!?" Stacey asked in shock.

Jake looked over at May, who nodded back at him.

"Petal Dance on Jolteon!"

Liligant summoned a storm of petals from the flower atop her head, and sent them flying at Jolteon while her trainer was distracted. The attack hit, dealing major damage.

"Salamence, Dragon Claw on Greninja!"

"Shadow, stop him with Ice Beam!"

Salamence flew towards Shadow with glowing claws, ready to strike. Shadow's body turned ice cold, and he shot a beam of ice at the charging dragon type, freezing over one of his wings, causing Salamence to stop the attack and land awkwardly on the ground.

Stacey finally figured out what had happened, and quickly regained her composure. "Jolteon, Pin Missile on Liligant!"

"Dodge it!" May shouted.

Jolteon's fur glowed, and tiny needles shot out from it. They flew at Liligant in streaks of light, many hitting their target. Liligant moaned in pain from the super effective attack.

"Finish Salamence off with another Ice Beam!" Jake commanded.

"Counter with Flamethrower!"

_Perfect._ Jake thought to himself.

Shadow complied, and shot another beam of ice at the grounded dragon, who shot flames from his mouth in retaliation. The two attacks met in the middle, causing steam to cover the field.

"And it looks like those two powerful attacks have made it so nobody can see anything!" Adam said into the microphone.

"Keep an eye out May, I'm gonna finish Salamence off." Jake said to his girlfriend. "Shadow, you know what to do!" He yelled.

A few seconds later, a roar of pain was heard, followed by a thud.

"I can't see anything, but I believe Salamence has just been taken out!" Adam said.

Half a minute later, the steam cleared enough to reveal a fainted Salamence. This time, half of his body was frozen, courtesy of an Ice Beam from Shadow.

"Salamence is unable to battle!" Adam declared.

Trevor recalled his Pokémon and looked at Stacey. "Win this for us!" He said.

"Got it. Jolteon, Discharge into the steam!" She yelled.

"Shadow use Earth Power!" Jake said quickly.

Jolteon expelled a massive amount of electricity. The electric current was carried by the steam, aimed straight at Shadow. He let loose a rogue Earth Power, giving him an immunity to the attack, but not before enough of it hit, paralyzing him on contact. Liligant was outside the steam, safe from harm.

"Shadow is paralyzed. His attacks are gonna be pretty easy to dodge from now on, so it's up to you. I'll distract her." Jake whispered to May.

"Gotcha."

"Shadow, use Hydro Pump!"

"Jolteon dodge it!"

Shadow opened his mouth and released a torrent of water at Jolteon, who dodged it with arrogant ease.

"Now Thunderbolt!"

"Liligant, Leaf Storm on Jolteon!"

Jolteon shot a bolt of electricity at Shadow, who was unable to move out of the way in time. He fainted when it struck him, collapsing onto the ground. Liligant then summoned thousands of leaves, and shot them at the distracted Jolteon. The attack hit dead on, sending her flying back. She fell on her side, and struggled to get up.

"Greninja is unable to battle!" Adam declared.

Jake recalled his fallen water type. "Here's your chance." he said.

May nodded. "Liligant, finish with Petal Dance!"

Pink petals were emitted from Liligant's flower, and they spun in a spiral at the struggling electric type. They hit their mark, causing Jolteon to faint.

"Jolteon is unable to battle, Jake and May are the winners!" Adam shouted.

Upon hearing this, applause erupted from the growing crowd.

May recalled Liligant, and she and Jake went to the middle of the field to shake hands with their opponents.

Once they were done, the pairs went their separate ways. Jake and May headed over to the sidelines to see the next match.

Once they got there, they found an open spot and sat down.

"This is fun." Jake remarked.

"Yeah, like I said before, we make an awesome team!"

"We do."

"Vui!" Eevee said as he hopped of Jake's shoulder and onto his lap.

"No, I didn't forget about you. Did you enjoy seeing one of your evolutions battling?"

"Vui. Eevee!"

"You know that could be you, right?" Jake asked as he started scratching Eevee behind the ears.

Eevee glared at him.

"I'm just saying. I'm not gonna force you to do anything you don't want to do, but your Tackle packs a punch. Just look at my arm."

"He's right, you know." May cut in.

"Eevee. Vee!"

"Fair enough."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he'd sleep on it, which basically means no."

"So, who do you think is gonna be our opponents for next round?" May asked as she turned her attention to the ongoing battle.

Jake looked up, and saw four Pokémon dueling it out. On one side, there was a young boy who looked no older than twelve standing next to another boy about the same age. One boy had a Charmeleon, while the other had a Sealeo.

On the other side of the field, a Garchomp was standing in front of an older woman, and next to her was another woman of around the same age, who owned a Dusknoir.

"I'm betting on the two women. They seem to have years of experience on the two boys."

"Yeah, me too. I just hope we can beat them.

"Don't worry. Like you said, we make an awesome team." Jake said with a smile.

May gave him a peck on the cheek. "With that kind of confidence, how can we lose?"

"And it's a double KO! Both Charmeleon and Sealeo have been taken out! Edna and Norma are the winners!" Adam yelled into the microphone. "Be back here in twenty minutes for the final match!"

"I'm just gonna stay here. I see no point in going anywhere." Jake said.

"Can we at least sit in that bench over there? Sitting on the ground hurts my back."

"Sure."

May got up, and was about to head over to the bench, when she saw Jake struggling to get up. "Here, I'll help you up." She said as she held out her hand.

"Thanks." Jake took her hand and allowed her to pull him up, and the two headed over to the bench. Eevee followed close behind, and once the two were seated, he jumped onto their laps, laying down halfway between them.

Jake put his arm around May, and she leaned into his shoulder. The two sat there in silence until it was time for the next match.

* * *

"For those of you who don't know, this is the final battle of the Tag Battle Competition. On one side, we have Jake Smith, this year's Hoenn League Champion, along with his girlfriend, last year's Grand Festival winner, May Maple! Please give them a round of applause!" Adam, the MC, said.

Jake and May smiled and waved at the crowd, and numerous applause erupted from it.

"Facing against them, we have Edna Jenkins. Battling alongside her is her sister, Norma Jenkins! Please give them a round of applause!" Adam shouted.

The two sisters waved at the crowd on their cue, receiving applause that rivaled Jake and May's.

"You all know the rules, so release your Pokémon!"

Jake looked at May, who gave him a quick peck on the lips. "For luck." She said.

"Let's do this!" Jake smiled. He reached for a Pokeball on his belt, and threw it. "Blazer, engage!"

Out came the shiny Blaziken, who appeared in a shower of sparkles.

"Blaziken, take the stage!" May shouted.

She threw her Pokeball, and her own Blaziken appeared. She seemed to smile at Blazer, who did the same.

"Infernape, battle stance!" Edna shouted.

The Flame Pokémon appeared in a flash of light, striking a battle ready pose.

"Hydreigon, to my side!" Norma said as she released her Pokémon.

The Brutal Pokémon appeared and roared loudly, causing everyone in the crowd to take a few steps back.

"And we have four powerful Pokémon put red against each other! The Sinnoh Fire Type starter alongside the Unova Pseudo-legendary, pitted against a team of Hoenn fire type starters, one of them being a shiny! This is sure to be an exciting match!" Adam shouted. "Begin!"

"Infernape, Flamethrower on the shiny Blaziken!"

"Hydreigon, Dragon Pulse on the other one!"

"Blazer, run through it with Blaze Rush, and strike with Acrobatics!"

"Blaziken, dispel it with Sky Uppercut!"

Infernape opened her mouth and spewed flames at Blazer. Blazer burst into flames, and ran straight into the attack, taking no damage. He then jumped right in front of Infernape, and started striking her while doing flips. The super effective attack caused Infernape to stop her attack, and instead defend against her opponent's. Meanwhile, Hydreigon shot a green orb out of his middle head at Blaziken. She in turn made her fist glow, and sent it flying up with a punch that went sky high.

"Wait for it, then return to sender with Blaze Kick!"

Blaziken waited until the orb came back down to earth, and sent it flying back at Hydreigon with a fiery kick. It struck him on the head, dealing major damage.

"And we see some of those coordinator skills in action with that clever move!"

Hydreigon roared in anger at being struck by his own attack. He eagerly awaited his trainer's next order.

His wish was granted when Norma called for an Earth Power attack.

Hydreigon's eyes glowed, and the ground began to split underneath him. The cracks continued to where Blaziken was, and a yellow light emerged, dealing damage.

"Blazer, go into Close Combat!"

"You too Infernape!" Edna shouted.

The two fire types started sparring with each other, trading blows in the process. Initially, Infernape had the advantage due to his greater speed, but Blazer quickly gained it thanks to Speed Boost. Finally, he saw an opening, and performed a Low Kick, tripping the simian Pokémon.

"Rock Tomb!" Jake yelled, pressing his advantage.

Blazer complied, and he backed off, stomping a foot into the ground. Rocks appeared around Infernape, trapping her in the process.

"Break out of there!"

"High Jump Kick!"

As Infernape was trying to break free, Blazer leaped into the air and angled his body towards the rocks. As soon as Infernape emerged, she was struck by Blazer's knee, sending her flying back.

She collapsed in a heap, and struggled to get up.

"Finish with Sky Uppercut!" May shouted, sensing a knockout.

Her Blaziken ran up to the fallen fire type, and sent her flying with a glowing fist. Unbeknownst to her, Hydreigon let loose a Dragon Pulse while her back was turned. Blazer noticed this, and ran in front of her, taking the attack dead on.

"Thanks for the save." May said gratefully.

"That was all him. He made that decision on his own." Jake replied.

Finally, Infernape crashed into the ground, defeated.

"Infernape is unable to battle!" Adam declared.

Edna recalled her Pokémon and turned to her sister. "Good luck. These two work really well together."

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Norma replied with a mischievous grin on her face. "Hydreigon, Water Pulse on the non-shiny Blaziken!"

Hydreigon complied, and he shot an orb of water at Blaziken. Blaziken dodged the attack by jumping over it.

"May, she's only going after you, because she saw Blazer take that attack for her. He's powerful, but he can't take that many attacks, especially from something as powerful as a Hydreigon."

"So what do we do?"

Jake whispered his plan to May, making sure Eevee heard, and she agreed.

"I hope this works."

"It will. You two, fall back!"

The two fire types looked at Jake in confusion, but did as Jake asked.

"Alright Eevee, tell them what I have planned."

Eevee started talking in Pokespeak, and the two Kung Fu chickens eagerly agreed.

Unfortunately for Norma, she couldn't understand what the normal type said, and she saw a look of worry on Hydreigon's face.

"Be prepared for anything!" She said.

"Blaziken, close Combat!"

"Counter with Superpower Hydreigon!"

May smiled.

Blaziken bounded towards the dragon type, and started landing punches and kicks on him. He fended her off the best he could by jabbing at her with two glowing heads on his arms. The two Pokémon traded blows, neither giving in an inch. Suddenly, Blazer jumped high into the air and started falling towards the two Pokémon.

"Hydreigon, above you! Look out!" Norma shouted.

Hydreigon looked up,, only to. See a knee slam into his face. Blaziken was standing a few feet away, having backed off when Hydreigon wasn't looking.

Hydreigon roared in pain, and collapsed to the ground.

"Hydreigon is unable to battle, Jake and May re the winners! Please give them a round of applause.

Cheers erupted from the crowd after Adam said this.

Norma recalled her Pokémon, as did Jake and May. The four went to the middle of the field to shake hands.

"Your teamwork is exceptional." Edna remarked.

"Indeed it is. It's been awhile since we've been put into a situation like that."

"Thanks." Both Jake and May said sheepishly.

"You two make a cute couple." Norma said.

Both Jake and May blushed slightly at the comment.

"I have to ask though, what did you do to your arm?"

"Long story short, May played a trick on me, and it backfired."

"Do you think any less of her for that?"

"Of course not. I know it was just an accident."

Edna leaned over to May's ear. "Be good to him, he's a keeper." She whispered.

May blushed at the comment.

Adam then walked up to them, holding two ribbon-like things.

"For winning, I am proud to present you two with your own Focus Sash!" He said, handing one to Jake and May.

"Thanks." They said.

"Have fun you two, enjoy the rest of the ride on this ship. And Jake, good luck in the tournament."

"Thanks."

The group split up, each party going their separate ways.

"So what now?" Jake asked.

"Now we eat."

"I'm with you on that one." Jake said.

* * *

"So, what do you want to do after this?" Jake asked as he finished swallowing a bite of his pizza.

"How about the pool?"

"As long as I don't have to 'swim' I should be fine. I just hope this thing is waterproof."

"You should be fine." May said as she took a bite of her Ramen.

"My swim suit is in my bag, so we need to head back to the room."

"Okay."

* * *

The two walked into the room, and Jake grabbed his bag from where he left it on the bed, and pulled out a pair of blue swim trunks that had a Pokeball on the right leg. He then headed into the bathroom to change. Fifteen minutes later, he reemerged wearing his swim trunks and nothing else.

"What took you so long?" May asked.

"This damn arm of mine is a pain in the ass to move. I basically have to do everything one handed." Jake replied.

"Sorry."

"Like I said before, don't worry about it. Now go ahead and get changed so we can get to the pool."

"Okay Mr. Bossy pants!" May said with a giggle as she went into the bathroom to change. Five minutes later, she reemerged wearing a red bikini. Jake couldn't help but stare. His hormones took over, and he noticed every curve of her body.

"Like what you see?" May asked with a giggle.

"Yeah. You look great." He said blankly.

"Thanks, you're not too bad looking yourself. Now come on, I wanna swim!" She said as she tugged on his right arm, snapping Jake out of his trance.

"Coming. Come on Eevee, let's go!"

Eevee hopped onto Jake's shoulder. He made sure to grab two towels on the way out.  
Once they cleared the room, the couple held hands and headed to the pool. On the way, Jake saw guys stare at May, and he simply smiled.

They finally reached the pool, and Jake put the two towels on a nearby chair. Eevee hopped of Jake's shoulder.

"I'm not gonna be doing much swimming, so I'll stay by the edge of the pool." Jake said.

"Okay!" May then ran and jumped into the pool, splashing Jake in the process.

_What has gotten into her?_ Jake thought as he gently slipped himself into the pool, making sure that his sling wasn't damaged by the water. When it seemed fine, he got in all the way. "Eevee, you coming?"

"Vui!"

"Fair enough. If you change your mind, I'll be right here." Jake said. He turned around to find May wading towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something. Turning his head, he saw a boy about the same age as him staring at May, making sure that the boy didn't notice. Jake then grinned. _I'm going to hell for this._

"I know you said you wanted to swim, so what's up?" Jake asked.

"Swim, cool off in the water, it's all the same to me." May replied.

Jake put his arm around his girlfriend, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw the same teen look shocked. _Now I'm really going to hell for this._

May looked at him. "What were you just looking at?" She asked.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about how beautiful you are." Jake replied with a smile.

"Aww." May said as she leaned towards him. Their lips met, and soon they were kissing each other. When they finally broke off, Jake saw a look of anger on the teen's face out of the corner of his eye and smiled. _That'll show you not to look at May like that._

"Do you think you'd be able to handle the water slide at least?" May asked.

"Only one way to find out."

The two got out of the pool, and headed over to where the water slide was. When they got there, they noticed that it was for two people at a time.

"Do you wanna go in front, or should I?" Jake asked.

"You go in front. That way you can break my fall!" May teased.

"Okay."

The two got in line, which wasn't very long. Before they knew it, it was their turn to go. Jake sat down, and May sat down behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. After receiving the all clear signal from the lifeguard, Jake pushed off, and they began to slide. Halfway down, May gripped Jake tighter, causing him to blush slightly. Before they knew it, they reached the exit.

Jake splashed down first, quickly followed by May.

Jake surfaced first, followed closely by May. Unfortunately for Jake, the force of his impact to the water hurt his arm, and he had to hold it to contain the pain. He started wading over to the side of the pool with May right next to him.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Not really. I can tell you that I'm not doing that again." Jake answered.

The two reached the side, and Jake leaned back. "If you wanna swim, go ahead. I'll stay here and watch."

"You sure?"

"Go for it."

"If you say so."

Jake watched as his girlfriend swam off to do a few laps. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.

* * *

**I ended the chapter there for a reason, consider it as somewhat of a cliffhanger.**

**Shizuka Taiyou: I know it's 18 chapters later, but I finally wrote that double battle that you wanted to see with Jake and May's Blaziken. I hope you liked it.**

**As for everyone else, hope you enjoyed the chapter. I feel like I should say something about the injury. As much as I love writing Jake as a character, I feel like I had to do something sooner or later to make sure that I don't portray him as the perfect person (which, after reading through this, I can see why people might think that). He's not perfect, just better than a lot of other trainers out there. The injury is kind of inspired by one that I have of my own, as I have to wear a boot for the next week+. Different body parts, but both hinder in their own way.**

**Also, I kinda broke the one-battle-per-chapter rule that I set for myself earlier, but since I wrote each one on a different day, I don't think that they were lacking. Just don't expect 5 battles in one chapter again (chapter 9?), that was too much.**

**I'm still accepting FCs, so if you want to add mine, go to my profile and follow the instructions there. I haven't mentioned this recently, but the poll is still open, and will be for another few weeks.**

**If you get the reference to Nightmare the Gengar, you are awesome.**

**That's all I have for today, so as always, read and review everyone!**


	29. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28, enjoy.**

* * *

Jake had been standing there with his eyes closed for awhile, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He opened them and turned to find Eevee.

"What's up bud?" He asked.

"Vui!"

"Alright, climb aboard."

Eevee happily complied and hopped onto Jake's shoulder, and sat down.

"Care to get wet?" Jake asked as he dunked his head underwater. When he resurfaced, Eevee was clinging onto his shoulder for dear life, and had a shocked look on his face. Jake started laughing.

"Eevee. Eevee eev!"

"Sorry, but I had to! Consider this payback from before!"

Eevee shook himself dry, before hopping back onto dry land. "Vui!" He said angrily.

"Okay, I'm sorry, and I promise not to do it again. Truce?"

Eevee sighed. "Vui." He said as he hopped back onto Jake's shoulder. Jake scratched him behind the ears, causing him to coo in enjoyment.

"Bud, I love ya. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you. So please don't take any jokes I play on you personal. After all, you _did_ have Shockwave jolt me awake a week ago. We're a team, and nothing will change that."

"Vui!" He agreed.

"Such a touching story." Said a voice.

Jake turned around, and found the same boy who he had spotted from a distance earlier. Upon closer inspection, the boy stood at Jake's height. He was slim, and his body was well toned in muscle, it was obvious that he worked out often. He had blonde hair, which was matted against his head from being wet, but it looked to be about medium length. His eyes were blue, and he wore black swim trunks from what he could tell. Another thing that Jake noticed was that he could be considered "attractive," not that Jake was judging.

"Can I help you?" He asked.

"I challenge you to a three on three Pokémon battle." The boy said.

"Got a name?"

"Isaac."

"Listen, Isaac. I don't know why you're challenging me to a battle, but I'm done battling for the day. Maybe we'll run into each other in the tournament, but right now I'm relaxing."

"Aww, the little pussy is too scared to fight, how sad." Isaac taunted.

"Say what you want, but I'm done battling for the day. Why do you want to battle to begin with? You obviously saw me minding my own business, go challenge someone else." Jake said. He had a bit of an idea why, but wanted to see if his suspicions were confirmed.

"You know why."

"Enlighten me."

"Why would someone as hot as her, go out with someone as lowly as you? You don't even have two arms!"

* * *

May had just done a few laps in the pool, and decided to swim back over to where Jake was. As she was swimming, she noticed a blonde haired boy swim up to Jake, who was currently talking to Eevee. She hung back a bit to see what was going on. She heard the boy challenge Jake to a battle, and introduce himself as Isaac.

_That's weird, surely he would have challenged someone who was actually __**looking**__ for a battle if he really wanted one._

She then heard Isaac taunt Jake, and Jake keep a cool head while asking the reason why he wanted to battle in the first place. When she heard it, she laughed to herself.

_There's no way I'd associate myself with someone like him with that kind of attitude, even if he is a stud._ She then swam up to Jake and placed an arm around him.

"Hey Jake."

"Hey—" he started.

"So your name is Jake?"

"Yep. Mind leaving us alone now?" Jake asked. He was doing his best to keep his cool, and not sink down to his level. He then turned to May. "Let's head back to the room and find something else to do. This pool's getting pretty crowded.

"Yeah, good idea." May said, catching onto what he was doing. She started leading Jake by his arm to the shallow end where they could get out. They left Isaac there, seething in anger.

"What was his problem?" May asked.

"He's just jealous that I'm with you." Jake said. He seemed to be out of it, and May made sure that she would bring it up once they got back in the room.

The two continued walking down the ship in silence, completely forgetting about their towels. When they reached the room, Jake unlocked the door, and they headed inside. Eevee hopped off of Jake's shoulder and headed over to one of the beds and curled up. May closed the door behind them, and looked at Jake, who seemed to be deep in thought. She walked over to him and gave him a hug, causing him to blush as he returned it. She then led him over to the other bed, and they sat down.

"Alright, spill it. What's wrong?"

Jake sighed as he looked into May's eyes. "You know I love you, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"I don't know. As much as I hate to admit it, Isaac brought up a good point. When there are studs like him out there, why did you choose me? I never had to really think about that, since there was no reason to. Now, I'm not so sure."

"I chose to be with you for three reasons. One, _I_ think you're cute, and when we met back up, something just 'sparked.' Two, I love your personality. Always have, and always will."

"And what's the third?" Jake asked. His tone had changed to a more cheerful one.

"Well, aside from you turning into a great kisser, I could tell that you liked me, and for some reason, I felt the same. Why? I don't know. What I do know is that I love you, and no one else."

Even though Jake knew how May felt about him, hearing her say it made it feel better after the series of events that took place at the pool. He used his one free arm to wrap her into a hug, and she did the same with both. The two held each other in their arms, neither budging an inch. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the two let go of each other.

"As much as I love kissing you, I think I prefer hugs." Jake said.

"Are you saying that because I'm still in my bikini?"

"No." Jake said. "Although I don't mind the skin on skin contact." Jake said under his breath.

"I'm gonna go ahead and get changed after I shower. I'll be out in an hour."

"Okay. Take your time, we still have the whole afternoon and night left."

"Don't worry, I will." May got a change of clothes from her bag, and headed into the bathroom, leaving Jake alone with Eevee.

Jake laid back on the bed, stretching out his limbs. _Damn arm_ he thought. He picked up the guide that he read that morning, and looked for something to do. He started looking through the various pages, and stopped on the movies section. He skimmed over them, but didn't find anything interesting.

"Just a few chick flicks, nothing special." He muttered.

He then laid back and closed his eyes. Next thing he knew, someone was shaking his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find May.

"Have a nice nap?" She asked.

"I fell asleep? I just remember closing my eyes for a few seconds."

"Yep. I just got finished getting dressed. What do you think?" She asked.

Jake picked his head up from the bed and got a better look at his girlfriend. The first thing he noticed was that she was wearing different clothes. She had on a blue tank top, and wore her black biker shorts underneath a white skirt. On top of her head, she wore the blue bandana that Jake had gotten her yesterday. Her hair came out of it in her signature upside down V, completing the look.

"You look great!" He said.

"Good, cause I wasn't sure if I could pull off the 'blue look.'" She said.

"No, you pull it off just fine, as cliché as it sounds, it really brings out your eyes." Jake said with a smile.

"The only reason why I'm wearing this is because you got me the matching bandana that I've always wanted that goes with this."

"Glad I could help." Jake said as he got up. He went over to May and gave her a hug, which she returned.

She then kissed him on the cheek. "Now go get changed. I saw Celebi the Time Traveller playing in that guide you were reading, and I want to see it."

"Alright, I'll be out when I get out." Jake said as he let go of her. He went over to his bag and got a change of clothes, then headed into the bathroom.

An hour later, Jake came out wearing black gym shorts and a grey t-shirt. He wore the hat May had gotten him on his head, and had his left arm in his sling.

"What time does the movie start?" He asked.

"Thirty minutes."

"Okay." Jake went over to where Eevee was still sleeping and gently shook him. "Time to wake up bud." He said softly.

Eevee slowly opened his eyes, adjusting himself to the light. "Vui!" He yawned.

"Hey, we gotta go. Sorry to wake you, but we're going out to see a movie."

"Eevee!" He said as he slowly got up. He shook his body as if he were wet, and climbed aboard Jake's shoulder.

Jake then went over to where May was waiting for him at the door. He linked his hand with hers and they walked out the door, closing it behind them.

May seemed to know the way, so Jake let her lead him to the mini theater that was aboard the ship.

"Gotta love ferries." Jake said.

"Yeah, they have everything." May replied.

The two continued walking, and finally reached the theater. Jake bought the tickets, and they went over to the concessions to get some popcorn and drinks. Once that was done, they went inside the theater and took seats in the middle near the back.

Jake sat down, and May sat on his right side. He put his arm around May, and waited for the movie to start.

"I hate chick flicks," Jake muttered.

"Lighten up, it won't be as bad as you think it'll be."

"Easy for you to say, you're a girl."

May smiled at him. "Shut up, the movie is starting."

* * *

By the time the movie had ended, Jake was on the verge of falling asleep. May nudged him, causing him to open his eyes.

"Is it over?" He asked groggily.

May gave him a look. "Yes. It's over."

_Finally_ "Seeing as its almost dinner time, let's go get something to eat." Jake said.

The two got up and threw their trash out in the garbage, before heading out of the theater.

"Does this have anything to do with what you have planned for me?"

"I don't know. Maybe, maybe not." Jake said with a poker face.

"Can you at least give me a hint?" May asked.

"No."

"Please?" This time May asked while putting on puppy dog eyes.

_Don't give in._ Jake sighed. He pulled May over to the side and looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna tell you. It's a surprise." Jake said.

May pretend pouted. "You're no fun!"

"Sorry."

The two continued walking. They passed by various people, all going different ways. They passed by the pool, which was relatively empty at this time of day. They didn't notice that they were being followed by someone else.

They finally reached the same buffet that they had eaten at before, and Jake quickly claimed a table. The area was crowded, and tables were filling up fast. Eevee hopped off of his shoulder to find a spot where he could sit down. He found a comfy spot, and laid down on the table.

Once they were settled in, Jake got up.

"I'm gonna go get some food now that the line has gone down a bit. You coming?" Jake asked.

"I'll wait here with Eevee and get food when you get back."

"Suit yourself." Jake said as he headed off to get some food, leaving May and Eevee at the table.

May started scratching Eevee behind the ears, much to his enjoyment.

"Vui!" He said.

"Hey hotstuff," a voice from behind said.

May found the voice somewhat familiar and turned around. When she saw his face, her demeanor turned into an annoyed one, and she stopped petting Eevee, causing him to look up.

"Can I help you?" She asked with fake politeness.

"Matter of fact, you can." Isaac said. May eyed him over, and noticed that he was wearing a white tank top, which showed off his muscles, which May took notice of. He had on khaki shorts, and wore a black SnapBack that covered most of his blond hair.

Isaac took notice of this and smiled. "Why don't you ditch the one armed freak, and come with me? A loser like him is only holding you back." He said as he pulled up a chair and sat down.

May rolled her eyes. "And what makes you think that he's holding me back?"

"Someone as pretty as you obviously deserves someone better."

"Look. I don't know what your problem is, but I love Jake, and no one else. So please, stalk someone else. You're not getting any."

"I saw the way you were looking at me just now. Don't try to hide the fact that you want a piece of this." Isaac said with a smirk as he flexed his biceps.

May slapped him across the face. "Go. Away. Now." She said angrily.

"You don't know what you're missing out on." Isaac said, holding his face. He then got up slowly from his seat. He was obviously doing his best to contain his rage, and to someone who didn't know what was going on, it would seem like nothing was wrong. He then walked away, blending into the crowd.

"Vui?" Eevee asked.

"I don't know what his problem is. I'm with Jake, and I'm sure as hell not gonna let an asshole like _him_ change that." She said.

Eevee noticed that May's fists were clenched, so he walked over to her and rubbed against her affectionately. This seemed to calm her down a bit, as she picked him up and hugged him.

"Thanks, I needed that," she said. May then gave Eevee a quick kiss on the top of his head, and started scratching him behind the ears, much to his enjoyment.

"Vui!" He cooed.

"Looks like you two enjoyed yourselves while I was gone."

May turned around to find her boyfriend. "You have no idea." May said. _Thank Arceus he wasn't here while Isaac was. I honestly don't know if Jake could take him, especially with his arm in a sling._

"Okay." Jake said, completely unaware of the events that had just taken place. He sat down in the seat nest to May, and started eating a large cheeseburger. He didn't notice May give Eevee a 'don't even think about telling him what just happened' look to him. Eevee nodded, signaling that his lips were shut.

"I'm gonna go get some food." May said.

"Okay."

May got up after putting Eevee down on the table and headed over to the food line.  
Jake was thinking about what he was planning on doing with May later on in the night. _Hopefully this works_ he thought to himself.

Eevee noticed his friend deep in thought with a slightly worried expression on his face. He walked up to Jake and tapped his shoulder, causing Jake to lose his train of thought.

"What's up bud?" Jake asked as he came back to reality.

"Vui?"

"Nothing. I'm just thinking about what I have planned for tonight for May. I just hope she likes it."

"Eevee?"

"No, I'm not gonna tell you what it is. Wait and see."

Eevee had a hurt look on his face, which Jake could see through like a window.

"Here, I got you a donut. Behave, and I might give it to you."

Eevee's ears perked up upon hearing his favorite treat. "Vui!"

Jake pulled out a can of Pokémon food from his bag. "Eat this first, then I'll give you the donut." He opened the can and poured it into a bowl that he had brought from the food line and handed it to Eevee. Within seconds, the food was gobbled up. Jake sighed.

"You better make this last. I'm only giving you one." Jake handed over the donut. It had chocolate frosting with sprinkles on it, Eevee's favorite.

Eevee picked it up in his tiny mouth and started taking little nibbles out of it. Unfortunately for him, the temptation was too much, and he swallowed the rest of it in a single bite.

Jake laughed. "I told you not to eat it all at once!" Jake said as he took another bite of his burger. He then noticed Eevee eyeing his plate. He traced his eyes to where a second donut was sitting, the same kind as before. "Don't even think about it. That one is mine."

Eevee looked down at the table's surface, before lying down.

May then joined them, sitting in the seat next to Jake. She had a large bowl of Ramen, along with a pink glazed donut. Eevee eyed it with envy.

May noticed Eevee looking at her donut. "Why is he looking at my donut like that?" She asked.

"Let's just say that he has a slight problem when it comes to donuts." Jake then looked at Eevee. "Don't even think about it, I already gave you one. It's your fault for eating it in two seconds."

"Vui." He pouted. Eevee then went over to where May was and hopped onto her shoulder.

Jake finished his burger and looked at his watch, which read five o'clock. _Only an hour and a half left._

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see soon enough." Was all Jake said.

The two were walking on the upper deck of the ship. The sun was setting in the background, and people were going every which way all around them. They reached a section that had a few sets of lounge chairs in pairs that faced behind the ship. Jake let go of May's hand, and he sat down in one of the chairs, and leaned back.

Eevee hopped off his shoulder and curled up in his lap.

May took a seat next to him and leaned over to him. "What are you doing?" She asked. She was so focused on Jake that she was completely oblivious to the setting sun behind the ship, the same way the chairs were facing.

"Waiting."

"For what?"

"You'll see."

May sighed and leaned back on the chair, as she had nothing better to do. _What is he planning?_ she asked herself. She then looked up, and realization hit her as she saw then sun setting.

"I'm not very good at this 'romantic stuff' yet, but I read that there is a good view of the sunset up here, so I decided to take my chances." Jake said as he sat up.

"Just like when we first became a couple." May reminisced.

"Hard to believe that was only a week ago."

"Yeah." May got up and moved over to Jake's chair and sat down next to him. "Best week of my life."

Jake put his free arm around her. "Mine too."

The two continued to sit like that as they watched the sun set completely.

"Now what?" May asked.

"Honestly, I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead."

May have him a playful poke in the stomach. "Typical Jake, not thinking things through." She said.

"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears. I suck at this kind of stuff and I'm doing my best."

"Relax, I'm only messing around with you."

"I know, but still. If you have any better ideas, I'm listening."

"How about a romantic walk under the stars once the sun completely sets?"

"Sure."

* * *

The sun was long gone, leaving only the stars and a full moon in the sky. The decks of the ferry were relatively empty, with only the occasional couple strolling along with no particular destination. Jake and May were among the few. They had their arms linked while walking. Eevee was on May's shoulder closest to Jake, and they were simply walking in silence. They had no destination in particular; they were simply walking under the stars and enjoying each other's company.

After what seemed like forever, May started to yawn, and Jake took notice.

"You wanna head back to the room? It's getting pretty late." He asked.

"Sure." May answered.

The two turned around and headed back to where their room was, walking in silence. When they reached it, Jake pulled out his key and unlocked the door. May unlinked her arm with Jake's and immediately went to where she left her bag and pulled out a change night clothes before heading into the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Jake went over to his bed and had Eevee jump off his shoulder, before he slung his bag onto the bed. He pulled out his night clothes, which happened to be a t-shirt and shorts, similar to what he was already wearing. He took his sling off carefully, making sure not to move his arm too fast. Once it was off, Jake held his arm out to get a good look at it.

His arm was covered in bruises where the muscle was under the skin, going almost all the way up his forearm.

At that moment, May reemerged from the bathroom wearing an oversized t-shirt and shorts. She noticed Jake looking at his arm and walked over to him. When she saw the condition it was in, she gasped. "I didn't realize it was this bad." She said.

"It's not that bad. As long as I don't move it fast, it doesn't hurt."

"Are you sure? That doesn't look good at all."

"I'm fine." Jake said as he got up. He grabbed the clothes that he got out and went into the bathroom to change and brush his teeth.

Eevee got up from where he was laying and went up to May. He noticed that she had a hurt look on her face, and naturally wanted to know why.

"Eevee?" He asked.

May sighed. "We fucked up big time today. I never should have asked you to do that." She said in a depressed tone. "I know Jake said that he forgave me for what I did, I can't help but feel guilty because of it. He's hurt, and it's my fault." She continued. She buried her face in her hands, not quite crying, but by no means in a happy mood.

Eevee went up to her and rubbed up against her side, trying to cheer her up.

May lifted her head from her hands and looked down at Eevee. "I don't know what it is about you, but you always seem to cheer me up." She said as she started scratching him behind the ears.

"Vui!" He said.

Fifteen minutes later, Jake reemerged from the bathroom wearing a blue t-shirt and black gym shorts. He held his dirty clothes in his right arm, and his left was at his side hanging limp. He went over to his bag and threw the clothes in there before heading over to his bed and sat down. _T__hree more days_ he thought.

May noticed Jake go into thought, so she went over to sit down next to him.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"Just the tournament. Three more days, and I go up against some of the best trainers in the world." Jake said.

May saw that he looked stressed out, so she put her hand on top of his.

"Don't worry, you'll win for sure!" May said, trying to cheer him up.

This seemed to do the trick, since Jake looked up at her and smiled.

"With you by my side, how can I lose?"

He then looked at his watch, and saw that it was ten thirty. "It's getting late, you going to bed yet?" He asked with a yawn.

"Not yet, I think I'll just sit here for a little while longer." May said as she leaned into Jake's shoulder.

"Okay."

Jake reached into his pocket and pulled out his Pokenav. _Maybe the seeds are posted now_ he thought. He typed it into his Pokenav, and the Pokémon World Tournament home page came up. Jake read the headline.

"Tournament seeds posted. Trainers, please click here to see where you are."

Jake tapped the link, and a search bar came up. He typed his name in, and a few seconds later, his name appeared.

"Jake Smith: Seed One." He read.

"What was that?" May asked.

"They posted the seedlings for the tournament. I'm near the top in the first seed."

"Congrats!"

"Thanks." Jake muttered as he clicked to see the rest of the seed. It started at the top, going down in numerical order. Jake saw his name at #18. _Top twenty, not bad._ he said mentally. _Now let's see who's above me._

Jake started reading off names. "... #9 Eclipse Silverline. #10 Styles Kaizu. #11 Billy Randall."

_Wow, just missed the top ten. As for the others, I've heard of them all except Eclipse Silverline_ Jake clicked the name, which redirected him to Eclipse's profile.

"From Celestic Town... started with a Gible... Won the Sinnoh League... won Sinnoh and Kanto Battle Frontiers... best known for fusion moves? What does that mean?" Jake asked himself. He continued reading. "Pokémon... Garchomp... Empoleon... Scizor... Charizard... Floatzel... Aggron... Among others. Damn, this guy looks pretty good." Jake muttered to himself.

* * *

May was leaning on Jake's shoulder while he was looking at his Pokenav. She knew that she was on the verge of falling asleep, but she was too comfortable to get up. She congratulated Jake when she heard him say that he was in the first seed, then slightly shifted her position. She yawned one last time, and closed her eyes.

* * *

Jake started to hear light snoring in his right ear, so he looked over. He saw that May had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He didn't want to wake her, and he knew he wouldn't be able to carry her with only one arm. He thought for a second, and after not coming up with anything, he sighed. _Please don't be mad at me in the morning_ he said mentally. Jake yawned, and put his Pokenav on the bedside table, which he could barely reach.

He yawned once more, and put his arm around his girlfriend, before closing his eyes.

* * *

**I suck at writing shipping scenes. Sue me.**

**I was originally gonna have Isaac and Jake get into a fight, but I didn't like where it went. I rewrote the scene where isaac confronted May when she was alone like five times, and I'm still not completely satisfied with it.**

**I actually did some research in regards to some of the shipping scenes, so some of them are things people actually do.**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Like I mentioned last chapter, I'm still accepting Friend Codes, and the poll is still open. I am looking for a Cacnea/Cacturne. If anyone has one that they would be willing to trade, please PM me. I am willing to negotiate.**

**Styles Kaizu belongs to Saiyan-Styles.**

**Eclipse Silverline belongs to KingFatMan25.**

**As always, read and review everyone!**


	30. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29. Enjoy**

* * *

**(A/N thoughts are in parentheses)**

"_And this is it folks, Jake Smith is down to his last Pokémon. Aaron's Mega Medicham has really taken a toll on Jake's Pokémon, knocking out two in a row. The match is currently tied, as each trainer has only one Pokémon left." The announcer boomed._

_Jake quickly recalled Nightmare. Not even a ghost type could stop that thing. (Blazer, it's all up to you now!) Jake thought._

_He gripped the one remaining Pokeball on his belt that had a conscious Pokémon in it, and pressed the center to enlarge it. He held it in his gloved hand, remembering all the times that the two had battled together._

_Jake looked into the stands. He saw numerous spectators in the stands. In the front row, he saw his girlfriend, May, giving him a thumbs up. Eevee was on her shoulder, and was trying to copy the notion the best he could._

_Jake took one last deep breath. "I'm counting on you." He muttered as he took one last look at the red and white sphere in his hand._

_"Are you gonna call out your last Pokémon, or what?" Aaron taunted._

_Jake looked up, renewed determination in his eyes. "Blazer, engage!" he shouted as he threw the Pokeball into the air._

_The ball opened up, and a red light burst from it. The light materialized into the Fire/Fighting type known as Blaziken. This one was shiny, and he stared down his opponent._

_"You ready?" Jake asked._

_Blazer nodded, preparing himself for his next stage._

_Jake then rolled up his sleeve, revealing a watch-like device on his wrist known as a Mega Ring. He lifted his arm into the air, and pressed a large button on the center. The mega ring started to glow, as did Blazer. Soon, the shiny Pokémon became enveloped in a brown sphere, and it grew in size. Suddenly, he broke out, revealing a new, more powerful form._

_Once the mega evolution process was completed, the ref took his cue to start the battle._

_"Blaziken versus Medicham, begin!" He shouted._

_The two mega Pokémon stared each other down, both waiting for their trainers to make a command. The tension was short lived, as Jake called the first move._

_"Start out with Flamethrower!" He yelled._

_Blazer complied, and he opened his jaws, spewing flames at his opponent._

_"Stop them with Confusion!" Aaron countered._

_Medicham's body glowed blue, and a split second before the flames hit, they stopped moving, covered in a blue energy. A few seconds later, Blazer stopped the attack, knowing it was futile._

_"Water Pulse!" Aaron ordered._

_Medicham's eyes glowed, and he created an orb of water in front of him. Once it was an adequate size, he shot it at Blazer._

_"Dodge, then go into Blaze Rush!"_

_Blazer jumped up, avoiding the attack. He angled his body towards his opponent, and burst into flames. He then crashed into Medicham, knocking him a few feet back._

_"Hit him with Thunder Punch!" Aaron shouted._

_"Block it with Fire Punch!" Jake countered. "Then go into Close Combat!"_

_Medicham quickly recovered, and covere his fist into electricity. He then faced the charging Blaziken, and struck out. Blazer did the same, and his fiery fist met the electricity covered one. Blazer then continued with another punch, sending it into Medicham's stomach. He then began rapidly striking him, using both fists and feet. Medicham was blocking the best he could, but was slowly giving out due to the gradual increase of speed from Blaziken._

_"Send him flying with Focus Blast!" Aaron shouted._

_Medicham concentrated and created a blue sphere of fighting type energy with his hands. He then shot it at the point blank fire type, sending him flying back._

_"Like we practiced. Break your fall with Acrobatics!" Jake said quickly._

_As he was falling, Blazer angled his body so he did a roll, which broke his fall. Blazer was slow getting up, something that Aaron decided to take advantage of._

_"High Jump Kick!" He shouted._

_Medicham leaped up into the air, and extended his knee outwards. He angled his body at the struggling Blaziken, preparing to knock him out._

_"Jump and dodge!"_

_Suddenly, Blazer seemingly sprang to life. He used his powerful lower body to leap high into the air, well above his attacker. Medicham had no way to stop his momentum, so he prepared himself for a crash._

_Jake looked up, and his eyes widened at what he saw. Medicham couldn't stop, and he was heading directly towards him. His legs locked up, paralyzed in fear. Since he couldn't move, all he could do was hold his hands in front of his body to act as a protective barrier. He closed his eyes, preparing for the inevitable._

* * *

Jake woke up with a start, and sat up abruptly, which had the unintended consequence of waking May up.

May opened her eyes, awake from the sudden movement next to her. She felt a warmth at her side, so she turned to find Jake, who was currently sitting up, looking shaken. Pushing the question of why they were in the same bed out of her mind, she sat up and put an arm around him.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Nothin. I just had a bit of a bad dream." Jake replied.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Basic rundown is that I was in the middle of a battle against a Mega Medicham, and his High Jump Kick missed and went straight for me. That's when I woke up."

Having heard Jake's explanation, May then asked the question that was at the back of her mind. "Why are we in the same bed, exactly?" She asked.

"Last night, you fell asleep on my shoulder. I didn't want to wake you up, and there was no way I could carry you with only one arm." Jake said with his face a little red.

"Oh."

Eevee had just woken up from the other bed. He stretched out, before hopping off and heading over to the other bed. He jumped up, and landed in Jake's lap.

Jake, albeit with some difficulty, started petting Eevee with his left arm. "Have a good sleep bud?" He asked.

"Vui, Eevee eev." He replied with a smirk.

"No. Now please don't say that again." Jake said with a red face.

May noticed this, so she turned her full attention to Jake. "What did he say?" She asked.

Jake's face turned even redder, and he looked down. "He, uh, implied some 'things' that I'd rather not talk about." He mumbled.

May thought for a second, before catching the hint. She looked at Jake, who still had his head down. "Let's just pretend that this never happened. We don't need to worry about _that_ for a long time." She said.

"Agreed." Jake looked at May and gave her a quick smile. His face was returning to its normal color, albeit slowly. "I'm gonna go shower and everything, then head down to the training facility and check it out."

"But I thought that we were gonna do what I wanted to do today! You agreed to that yesterday."

Jake sighed, as he had forgotten. "How about I go down there now, then when you're ready, you meet me down there. From there, we can figure out what to do." He said.

"Fair enough," May conceded.

Jake got up from the bed and got a change of clothes from his bag. He then went into the bathroom, leaving May and Eevee alone on the bed.

May turned to the normal type, who was currently avoiding eye contact with her. She then picked him up, and placed him in her lap. She started to stroke his fur, causing him to melt into her arms. "As cute as he is when he's embarrassed, please don't bring that up again, even if it was a joke." She said.

Eevee nodded his head, before resting it in her lap. The two sat there like that, waiting for Jake to reemerge, which he did thirty minutes later.

He walked out of the bathroom with his left was in its sling. He was wearing his baggy jeans, and had on a black t-shirt that was slightly visible under his mostly zipped up blue sweatshirt. He had his new hat on his head, facing forwards. He had just finished putting on his fingerless gloves, and walked up to the pair and turned to Eevee. "You wanna come?" he asked.

Almost immediately, Eevee jumped out of May's lap and onto his shoulder. "Vui," he said.

"Apology accepted."

May got up, and wrapped her arms around Jake, putting her head onto his chest. She then looked up, meeting Jake's gaze. "As soon as I'm ready, I'm pulling you out of there," she said. "I'll see you later."

Jake gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "I'll see you later too." He let go of her and headed out the door.

He walked down the hallway, and came upon a staircase. He walked down three flights of stairs, and continued his way down the relatively long hallway. Sounds of other trainers in the training facility could be heard, even though it was still a fair ways away. Jake slowed his pace down until it was a leisurely stroll. "So you and May seem to be getting along," he said to the normal type on his shoulder.

"Vui."

"I know your conversations are pretty one-sided, but what did you talk about last night?" He asked.

"Vui, Eevee eev." He replied.

"He did _what_?" Jake asked with an angry tone. He stopped walking altogether, and turned his full attention to the passenger on his shoulder.

Eevee looked down as soon as he realized what he had said. He had promised to keep yesterday's events from him, and a slip of the tongue turned that upside down.

Jake sighed. "So Isaac hit on May, anything else?"

Eevee shook his head.

"Can you tell me the full story?"

Eevee quickly recalled what had happened, from Isaac's approach, all the way until May had slapped him.

By the time Eevee finished his story, Jake was doing his best from bursting a blood vessel. He leaned up against a wall, and went into thought.

Jake wasn't someone who got angry very often, but when he did, it usually took something significant to snap him out of it. Since May wasn't there, Eevee thought of the next best thing. He hopped of of Jake's shoulder onto the ground, then jumped up, releasing a Pokémon from its ball. The Pokémon burst from it in a flash of red light, and materialized. It was tall, and represented an upright alligator. He took a look at his trainer, then turned to Eevee.

"Vui!" He said.

"Gator!" He unleashed a powered down Water Gun at his trainer's face, causing him to snap back into reality.

Jake shook his head, sending drops of water all around him. "Jaws, who let you out?" he asked.

"Vui." Eevee said. He jumped onto Jaws's back, so he could see Jake at eye level. "Eevee. Vee."

"Thanks." He grabbed his hat and shook it out, trying to dry it off. Once he was satisfied, he put it back on his head. "Let's go. I heard that there's a training pool down here."

Upon hearing this, the Feraligatr perked up. His favorite thing to do besides battle was swim, so he started to pick up his pace in excitement. Eevee still rode on his shoulder, holding on so he didn't fall off.

A few minutes later, the trio arrived at the facility. Jake's first impression was that it was big, and that was an understatement. Various stations were scattered throughout the room. Some were occupied with other trainers and their Pokémon. Each trainer was working on something different, whether it be agility or accuracy. Near the back was a giant pool, which had an obstacle course in place to one side of the pool.

Jake headed over to that first, struggling to keep up with the excited water type. There were already a few trainers there, and they were watching a Milotic perform the course. The trio arrived, and joined the small crowd and watched the feat. The Milotic finished in a final jump through a hoop, and landed gracefully next to her trainer.

"Have fun," Jake said to his water type.

Eevee hopped off of his shoulder and into Jake's arms, and Jaws immediately jumped into the pool.

Jake left him there, knowing that he wouldn't cause any trouble. He went over to an unoccupied target range, and called out his Gengar.

Nightmare appeared in a flash of red, and faced his trainer with his never ending grin.

"Go ahead and work on your Focus Blast's accuracy." Jake said. He pressed a button after reading the instructions, and the targets down range started moving.

Nightmare started shooting the fighting type attacks at the targets, some hit, while others sailed wide.

"Keep working on it, and you'll be a pro in no time."

"Gengar!"

"That's what I like to hear."

* * *

Jake was heading over to an empty bench so he could observe his Pokémon.

Jaws was swimming in the pool, attempting the obstacle course on occasion. Shadow was working on the speed of his Protean Ability by shooting random attacks at a target down range. Nightmare was working on his Focus Blast accuracy against moving targets. Blazer and Blade were sparring with each other using Close Combat. The only Pokémon that wasn't currently doing anything was Maverick, since all the other stations were occupied. He was currently inside his Pokeball on Jake's belt.

Jake sat down, and Eevee hopped into his lap and curled up.

Jake looked around, and decided to close his eyes.

Suddenly, he felt two arms wrap around him. He found himself unable to move, and stated panicking, until he realized the softness of the touch.

"Thought I'd find you here," said a feminine voice. Jake turned around to see who the owner was, and smiled when he saw May. "Mind if I sit?" she asked.

"Of course not." May sat down to the right of Jake, and rested her hand on his. Jake turned to her and asked, "what do you have planned for me today?"

May smiled at him. "Wait and find out," she replied with a mischievous grin.

Jake groaned. "Why do I have a feeling that I'm not gonna like this."

* * *

After having been dragged around all day by his girlfriend, Jake was simply trudging along. He had been dragged along by May, who had insisted on doing all sorts of girly things. The worst was when she made him sit through her getting a manicure. (Two hours of my life I'll never get back) he thought. The two were headed back to the room, after a suggestion by May to go to the pool. Jake had agreed, seeing as that was the only appealing option to him at that point.

They reached the room, and Jake unlocked the door. They walked inside, and Jake plopped down onto the bed in an instant. He leaned back and heaved a sigh of relief.  
May giggled. "Get over yourself, it wasn't _that_ bad." She walked over to the bed and sat down next to Jake.

"Easy for you to say. You were the one enjoying yourself." He grunted and sat up.

"Yeah, well it was worth it. Look at my nails!" She squealed.

Jake, not wanting to argue, sat up and looked at May's outstretched hand. He noticed that they were polished and cleanly cut. "They look shiny," he said.

May gave him a playful shove. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now go change.

"Okay." Jake got up and got his bathing suit out of his bag and headed into the bathroom to change. Fifteen minutes later, he reemerged wearing the same swimsuit as before, the blue ones with the Pokeball on the right leg. He had his sling on, the dark blue contrasted significantly with his skin. Just as he came out, May was already heading inside with her own in her arms. She shut the door behind her, leaving Jake and Eevee alone in the room. Jake walked back over to the bed and sat down. Eevee hopped into his lap, and he curled up. Jake stroked his fur absentmindedly until May came out, which wasn't until ten minutes later. She had on a blue bikini like the day before. Jake did his best not to stare, but it was difficult.

May snapped her fingers in front of his face, snapping him out of his trance. "Come on, I wanna swim!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him up. Eevee had to jump up rather quickly to avoid being thrown off, and settled onto Jake's shoulder once he was standing.

The two walked out of the room and headed down the hallway that led outside. They walked in silence, and reached the pool relatively quickly. Upon a quick glance, they noticed that it was relatively empty, save for a few kids in the shallow area playing near their parents. It was then that Jake noticed a smaller body of water near the pool. He led May over to it, and saw that it was a jacuzzi. It was empty, and Jake sat down in it and leaned back. Eevee hopped off his shoulder and sat near the edge, since his skin was more sensitive to the hot water.

"I'm gonna chill in here for a while," he said. He leaned back, and relaxed in the hot water, which was exactly what he needed.

"Don't stay in there for too long, it's bad for your skin," May said. "Come join me in the pool when you're ready."

"Okay," Jake replied absentmindedly.

May shook her head, before heading over to the pool. She decided to do some laps and jumped into the deep end. She surfaced almost immediately, and started to swim laps using the breath stroke, as she found it the easiest. After swimming a few laps, she swam over to the side of the pool and propped herself up with her arms against the side, and slowly kicked her legs to keep her balance.

* * *

Jake had just gotten out of the jacuzzi, as the heat started to bother him. As soon as he got out, he felt cold. _I hate it when this happens_ he thought to himself. He felt a little paw on his leg, so he bent down and Eevee climbed aboard. He stood back up and headed over to the main pool. There he saw his girlfriend start swimming over to the side of the pool, so he decided to join her.

He walked over and a plan suddenly formed in his head. He whispered it to Eevee, who smirked in agreement. He hopped off of Jake's shoulder, and let him do the dirty work.

Seeing her balancing on her arms, Jake very quietly walked over to May. Very carefully, he crouched down. He hovered his right arm over her for a second, before giving her a push.

The action was sudden for May. One moment, she was simply relaxing, the next, an unknown person had shoved her into the water, catching her completely off guard. She surfaced, and turned to face the culprit, rage evident in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes, clearing them of water. She then saw Jake, who was bowled over in laughter. Eevee was next to him, also laughing.

Unfortunately for Jake, he was on the edge of the pool, and May dragged him into the water, taking him by surprise. He resurfaced and grabbed onto the edge with his free arm. He was shivering heavily, since he had just gotten out of hot water, but he didn't let that bother him. "Hey," he said through chattered teeth.

"What was that for?" May demanded. She saw Jake's face go from a grin into a look of fear, before she grinned herself. "Just kidding, lighten up will ya?" she said.

Jake was relieved that she no longer looked like she was about to murder him. "What are you up to?" He asked, he was still shivering, something May took notice of.

"I was simply relaxing before you came here. Why are you shivering?" she asked.

"Because I just came from the jacuzzi, and I wasn't ready for the cold water yet," he said through chattering teeth. May wrapped her arm around him, causing him to feel the warmth of her body.

"Suck it up, you big baby."

For some reason, Jake looked past his girlfriend's face, and glanced behind her. His eyes came across a blonde boy his age, one of the last people he wanted to see.  
Isaac was sitting in the shallow end, talking to a girl Jake had never seen before. _Maybe he won't see me_ he thought. At that exact moment, Isaac looked up, and met his gaze. He smiled, then turned to the girl he was talking to and whispered something to her. A few moments later, they were heading his way.

Jake immediately forgot how cold he was, and turned to May. "Isaac's coming," he muttered. May turned around to find Isaac and the unnamed girl wading towards them.

"What does he want?" She asked.

"I don't know."

"Hey Jake!" He turned around to find Isaac and the girl standing behind them. Isaac gave them a smile, which Jake could tell was fake, although the girl didn't seem to notice.

Jake gave a quick look at May, as if to say 'follow my lead,' and she nodded. "Sup Isaac."

"Not much, I just wanted to introduce you to my lady friend, Alice." He turned to the girl next to him, who was giggling. "Alice, these are my friends, Jake and May."

Alice held out her hand. "Nice to meet you." Upon closer inspection, Jake saw that she stood at an average height of around 5'7. She wore a blue bikini, showing of her hourglass figure that rivaled May's. She had green eyes and black hair that was a little longer than shoulder length. She was hot, something Jake took notice of.

Jake was skeptical. Just yesterday, the guy had been fuming over the fact that he was with May, and now he acted like they were friends. He was skeptical, but Jake took it. "Likewise. This is my girlfriend, May."

May held out her hand and shook Alice's. "Nice to meet you," she said. The two started making small talk, leaving Jake and Isaac.

Jake pulled Isaac to the side. "What do you want Isaac?" Jake demanded. His tone was harsh, thanks to his knowledge of what had happened last night.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, so I thought we could have a fresh start," he replied. He still had that smile, which Jake could see through like a window.

"Suure. Just like Wurmple is a Fire Type," Jake retorted.

Isaac sighed. "Why can't you accept the fact that people change? I just wanted to introduce you to my soon-to-be-girlfriend."

Something clicked inside of Jake's head, and figured everything out. "If you're trying to one up me, it's not working. I really don't care who you date."

Isaac grinned. "We'll see about that."

The two ended their short conversation and waded back over to the girls, who were deep in conversation. The two were in the middle of a conversation about coordinating. Even though Alice was a trainer, she followed coordinators quite religiously, and had heard about May's accomplishments.

"What's it like being famous?" Alice asked.

May laughed. "I'm not famous, just well known. But it has its ups and downs. Whenever I'm at a contest, I usually have to deal with fans. But since I've been at the tournament, nobody has really bothered me."

"Just wait til we get to Driftveil. You and I are gonna get a lot more attention," Jake cut in. He waded over to May, and put his arm around her. Alice noticed his other arm in a sling for the first time, and asked about it.

"What happened to your arm?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm curious myself," Isaac added.

Before May could say anything, Jake spoke quickly. "Training accident."

"What kind of training accident?"

Jake hadn't been expecting this question, so he had to think quickly. "I was sparring with my Blaziken, and he hit my arm in the wrong spot," he said.

"Why were you sparring with your Blaziken? Don't you have other Pokémon who can do that for you?" Asked Alice.

"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?"

At that point in time, Eevee, who had been watching the whole thing happen from the side of the pool, jumped onto Jake's shoulder. "Vui!" he said.

Jake turned to him. And leaned close to his ear. "I know, I don't like this either," he whispered. He then looked at his watch, and noticed that it was close to five o'clock. He turned to May. "It's getting close to dinner time, you wanna head out, or stay here for a bit longer?"

"I'm getting kinda hungry, so sure." She turned to the opposite couple. "It was nice meeting you Alice, but I'm gonna go get a bite to eat."

Alice looked a bit disappointed. "Alright, I guess I'll see you later then. It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise." Jake and May waded over to a set of stairs and climbed out the pool. Once they were a fair distance away, Jake turned to May. "How was Alice?" he asked.

"She was nice. Nothing like Isaac though. Speaking of which, what did you say to him when you pulled him aside?"

"He, for some reason, is trying to one up me. The whole acting nice business was fake. I'm sure that he got with Alice to make me jealous or something."

"And did it work?"

Jake gave her a look. "Of course not. I'll admit she's hot, but not as good looking as you."

"Good."

The two continued walking in silence until they got back to the room. Jake unlocked the door, and they headed inside. Since he had forgotten a towel, and since he was still slightly wet, he went over to the seat near the back of the room to sit down. May, on the other hand, went into the bathroom with a change of clothes to go shower.

Eevee hopped onto one of the beds to curl up for a nap.

Jake pulled out his Pokenav, and started looking up various trainers that he could potentially face, and lost track of time. Before he knew it, May was already out and dressed, and she went over to notify him that it was his turn.

He got up and went over to his bag to get clothes. When he passed May, he noticed that she was wearing her new blue outfit. He then went inside to shower himself.

* * *

After having eaten, Jake and May decided to have a late night walk around the ship again. The two walked in silence, holding hands. Finally, after a long time of not talking, May broke the silence.

"You ready?" she asked.

Jake looked at her funny. "Ready for what?"

She gave him a playful shove. "The tournament silly. What else?"

"Oh." Jake led her over to a conveniently placed bench, and they sat down. "I'm ready. It's the later rounds that I'm worried about."

"At least you're not overconfident," May remarked.

"Why would I be? I know what I'm up against, and I've seen some really tough competition. Being overconfident would mean that I'd lose in the first round, and I can't afford that."

May hugged him. "You've definitely changed since we were kids," she said.

"I prefer the term matured." Jake wrapped his arm around May, and she giggled at what he said.

"No matter what you try, you'll always be the impulsive, overconfident Jake that I grew up with, even if you've matured."

Jake smiled. "And you'll always be the outgoing and playful pretty girl that I knew as a kid."

"I guess everyone still has their kid side still trapped in them."

"Maybe," Jake said. He looked at his watch, and noticed that it was getting late. "I hate to be the one to ruin the moment, but it's getting late, and the ferry docks at ten tomorrow morning."

May sighed. "Alright then, let's head back to the room. The two got up, and headed back to the room, walking in silence.

Once they got there, Jake unlocked the door. Before he could even walk inside, Eevee jumped into his arms. "Hey bud, you miss me?" he asked.

"Vui!" Eevee snuggled into his arms affectionately.

"Yeah, I had a nice walk with May. Nothing really beats spending some alone time with her." Jake went over to his bed and sat down. "Thanks for staying behind."

"Vui!"

The two waited for May to reemerge from the bathroom. When she did ten minutes later, she was wearing a large shirt and a pair of shorts. "Your turn," she said.

Jake got up and went over to his bag and got a change of clothes out, before heading inside.

May went to sit on the bed with Eevee, and started scratching him behind his ears absentmindedly. She didn't notice that Jake had already come out of the bathroom ready for bed. He put his arm around her, startling her slightly.

"Whatcha thinking about?" he asked.

"Not much, just stuff." She looked up at him and smiled. "We better get to bed, it's getting late, and we need to be up early."

Jake decided not to press the matter. "Okay. Good night." The two shared a quick kiss, and Jake went over to his bed with Eevee. He got under the covers and lied down, while Eevee curled up in his arms.

"Good night Jake." Was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep.

* * *

A horn bellowed from the ship, waking Jake up. He groggily opened his eyes and sat up. He looked over, and saw that May was somehow still asleep. Eevee was also asleep, but that quickly changed when Jake shook him awake. After looking at his watch, h decided to go wake his girlfriend up. He headed over to her bed and looked down.

She was towards him, and her breathing was slow, a clear sign that she was still asleep. _She's cute when she sleeps _he thought_. Too bad that's gonna change when she strangles me for waking her up._ He took a deep breath, and gently shook her. When that didn't work, he shook her more forcefully, this time producing results.

May opened her eyes slowly, and sat up and rubbed them, before looking at Jake. "Why are you waking me up so early?" she complained.

"Remember? The ferry docks today. It's getting to Driftveil in less than two hours."

"Oh yeah. Sorry, I'm just not a morning person," she mumbled.

"I know," Jake muttered. He went over to his bag to get some clothes and headed into the bathroom. He didn't bother showering, and awkwardly changed his clothes one handed. It took him almost twenty minutes to finally get dressed, and walked out. He had on his usual outfit, plus his left arm in his sling. He found May and Eevee sitting on the bed waiting for him.

"That was quick," May remarked.

"That's because I didn't shower." May pinched her nose shut with her hand and moved away from him every time he tried to get closer, trying to suppress a smile while doing so.

Jake sighed. "I give up."

"Kay stinky face."

"Don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever I want to call to call you!" She got up from where she was at, snatched her bag, and headed into the bathroom, leaving Jake there standing confused.

"Is this normal?" he asked himself. He went over to sit down on the bed where Eevee was and started petting him. "Do you have any idea bud?"

Eevee shook his head. "Vui." He hopped into Jake's lap and sat down.

"Why are girls so weird? One minute, May acts normal, the next she's being weird. It hasn't happened that much lately, but now that I think of it, she did it as a kid all the time." He reminisced of the old days, before he became a trainer, when he still lived in Littleroot Town, and when he lived with his parents. He remembered the times when he played with May as a kid. He then started thinking about the last time he saw her before setting off on his journey.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Jake looked up to see May, who was fully dressed in her blue outfit. She sat down next to him and put her hand on top of his.

"Just taking a trip down memory lane." May gave him a look telling him to elaborate. "I was thinking about when we were little and all the good times we had together."

"I remember."

Another horn sounded. This time it was louder, signaling that they would be arriving in less than an hour. "That's out signal to start packing," Jake said. He went over to his bag and zipped it up. "Done."

May giggled. "That's gotta be a world record or something," she said.

"I keep everything in my bag except my Pokenav and Pokeballs." He walked over to a table where six Pokeballs were, and clipped them to his belt. "Waiting on you now."

"Show off," she muttered. She went over to grab her hip pack, and clipped it around her waist. She then got her Pokeballs off the table, and clipped them to her belt. "I beat you by ten seconds," she said. "But who's counting?"

"Yet I'm the show off." Jake headed out the door with May close behind him. After they got out of the hallway with all the rooms in it, they went to the bow of the ship and leaned on the railing.

Off in the distance, Jake could see skyscrapers peeking through the clouds. They were mostly a brownish grey, but they had emerald roofs that curved into domes. Slowly but surely, they came closer into view. A bridge came into view, and it opened up to allow the ferry to pass under it.

"I've always wondered how bridges work like that," Jake commented.

May gave him a shove on the shoulder. "It involves a lot of math, something you've never been good at."

Jake looked hurt by the comment, if only for a second. "I know the basics. Besides, I was always top of the class in Pokémon studies, so that makes up for it." Jake once again averted his gave to what was in front of him.

"Attention all passengers, attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking. We will be docking in Driftveil in ten minutes. We will start to let passengers off in an hour. Everyone will need to be off in four. To all those participating in the tournament, good luck."

"Let's go get some food before we get off," May suggested.

"Good idea."

* * *

After having checked into a hotel as soon as they got off the ship, Jake and May decided to go to the Driftveil Market to pass the time.

Before they could get anywhere, they heard yelling and Jake looked up.

"What the fuck?" he said.

* * *

**Cliffhanger! Sorry, but it ends there. Next few chapters go to Ash and co and what they spent their time doing since the call.**

**I wrote half of this chapter, before deleting everything but the dream, because I didn't like whare it was going. That's the main reason why it took so long. The other is physics homework, something briefly mentioned in the chapter.**

**Let me know what you thought of this chapter in a review. Until next time, see ya!**


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